Let me tell you, I literally hit the reset button during this pandemic. I was forced to stop working for over 2 months and TRUST that we would be OK. I have always worked, never took off more than a weekend except for when I was pregnant. Even then, I worked until the morning I went into labor. As of today I have not worked in 11 weeks as a hairstylist.

When I first found out about the shutdown my anxiety was through the roof. Thank God I was on my way to a meditation appointment. I kept telling myself to “trust the process, everything will be ok, you have some savings, call and make arrangements with creditors, everything will be ok.”

I constantly repeated these words to myself and I felt one of the most important things was to maintain my mental and spiritual health during this pandemic shutdown.

The first week I went to work filing taxes, requesting relief from creditors and landlords, and fighting through my anxieties urge to procrastinate. I applied for literally every loan, grant and/or financial relief I became aware of. Once I did all of that I let go; I trusted God and the universe. There was literally nothing else I could do. I do not mean to make it seem as simple as that, because it was not. I still experienced anxiety and stress daily. The difference is how I was able to navigate through it and what I learned from this experience.

Some things are just out of our control and I was forced to accept this fact. I decided to use this time to be still. I relaxed as much as possible. I did meditation. I took extremely long baths. I talked to friends and family. I spent quality time with my son. I took full advantage of being locked down with no release date. I even reopened my online store. If I was going to be locked down I was going to do it well. I was forced to get back in touch with LIFE.

I think at times we get so wrapped up in a routine. We become accustomed to the mundane of everyday being the same. It had been so long since Kadon and I spent the day together. I mean the whole week together uninterrupted. We were always going to school, going to work, coming home doing homework, cooking dinner, bath time, bed time then we get up the next day and do it all over. We were use to it and in a way we like our routines because it is safe. We know what each day will bring.

This pandemic has pushed me out of my comfort zone. It pushed me to go deeper inside myself to grow. It forced me to look at life in new light. What is truly important to me and my journey. This situation has proven to me, even more so, the importance of living in the present. Nothing I did prior to mattered once I could not work anymore. I could not go back in time and prepare. The only purpose of the past was now was to know how to navigate and lessons to take from it. Nothing can change from the past only to accept it and move forward.

I did a lot of thinking during this time off. It is true when you are silent you can hear. I could not hear what was needed because I was constantly moving. I was constantly stimulated. When everything stopped and I allowed myself to stop too ideas and thoughts starting pouring in. Positive vibrations started flooding me. I felt all the things I had been missing were presenting themselves. Most of those thoughts happened when I allowed myself to be alone and I uninterrupted.

Self care is not an option it is a priority! Taking long baths, meditating, painting, talking, reading, relaxing etc. it vital. Calming your thoughts so you can really be present is a must. Spending QUALITY time with yourself has to be nonnegotiable. Even realizing taking time off from work and not putting more on my plate than I can handle is a valuable lesson I have gained, as I said I rarely take off from work. What ever you do to center yourself has to be a priority.

I also realized I have to be me. I can’t follow or emulate anyone else. One person’s path or journey is not mine. Everyone’s journey is unique and purposeful. We are here for a reason and all of our reasons are specific to our journey. At times we have to be silent and be still to gain what that purpose is. As an artist and a creative I limit the amount of stimulation i expose myself to from other artists and creatives. Especially when I am in the process of working on a project. Others can be inspiring but you can also start to compare or think someone else’s path could work for you. Comparing your process or journey to someone else can be discouraging. I want to keep the mindset that what is for me is for me.

I have to protect my peace and be unapologetic about it. It has taken a long time to get here and some long nights. My inner peace is important and I will not let it be disturbed. Once you start realizing the road to peace is a long road, full of bumps and bruises, turning back is not an option.

Lastly, I learned even more how important trusting the process is. At the beginning of the shut down, I did not know what to expect. I had no clue what I would do for money. I did not know when I would be able to return to work. I had to accept it and trust God. Everyday won’t be be super easy and every day won’t be super hard but we have to trust that the universe is working around the clock for our greater good. Things always work out and this pandemic is proof sometimes we just have to be still, but whe we feel that urge to move we have to listen. We have to listen even in fear.

I feel blessed and grateful to have went through this process and trusted it as much as I could humanly possible. I am entering our new normal with new perspective and not afraid of change. Change is the only thing that is consistent! This pandemic is proof that change can happen in the blink of an eye and we have to be able to adjust and find purpose within that change.

Thank you for reading! Click Like, Click Share and comment below we are all here in love.

Peace!