Beginning to create a new normal...

The world in so many ways has come to a full stop.  I took a walk with Poppy (my 1 year old bassett mix) last night along the river in downtown Minneapolis.  Don’t worry, I kept a strict 6’+ between myself and everyone else I encountered which was surprisingly easy on such a nice night.  I took off on this walk without my trusty cell phone and without earbuds speaking true crime podcasts into my ears.  The quiet was confusing.  I could hear the river.  I could hear birds chirping.  And I could hear snippets of conversations going on around me.  It was lovely but foreign.  Everything and everyone seemed to have a soothing calm and even though no one was interacting, I felt like I shared a deep connection, a Knowing with everyone around me.  I didn’t wonder what was going on in their worlds or what they were thinking because in so many ways I knew.  Every person and every pet I encountered was being affected in one way or another by the pandemic and there was something strangely soothing about that.

Empathy is simple right now.  It’s easier than ever to imagine ourselves in our neighbors’ shoes.

There’s a powerful article that has shown up strong in my facebook feed today.  It gives an intelligent and insightful warning about the time after the pandemic when everything tries to go back to ‘normal’ and when businesses, people, our government tries to convince us that what is happening right now is an unimportant blip on the radar.  I’ve been spending a lot of time examining my own thoughts and asking those around me what the silver linings to our current situation look like. For me, because I am fortunate enough to not have anyone close to me whose health is suffering, the positives are numerous.  Typically, my life right now would be very full.  My normal April is chock full of 18 hour workdays, conference calls, emails, and work-related ‘emergencies’.  In this, my new normal shows me spending hours every day walking.  I’m doing more cooking and reading.  I’ve dug out my sewing machines and have been teaching my daughters how to sew while making masks for friends and family.  We’ve learned a few new card games and have spent time working in the spring sunshine.
Hopefully the world is poised to get back to business soon.  If that's true, I think it's important to start evaluating now which of the new, good habits we want to try to take into the new normal.  

For me, I've had a shocking realization that I really am not missing my work.  I've always loved what I do and believed that I would miss it painfully if it went away.  In many ways, it has been a big part of defining who I am.  Now this time has me thinking about what life might look like with a different career path.    

Coincidentally, while I was in the midst of writing my thoughts on this topic, I received a Marco Polo message from my good friend Nikki on this very topic.  Her suggestion is to begin to cut off the big corporations.  She cites the very visible examples that some of these corporations are showing as they neglect to take proper care of their employees and their communities during this particular crisis.  Instead, make fewer trips to the massive online retailers and big box stores and shop more frequently with the mom & pops, the local groups who are trying to make a difference in our very own communities.  Back to basics.

"That's how we're going to change things. right?  It's always the little people."  

She is vowing to shop more co-ops and farmers markets.  Her comment that took me most by surprise is that she has found a local brick-and-mortar bookstore that provides a resource for audiobooks whose prices rival the big corporation.  Neat!  And - ok, time to start thinking about what conveniences I take advantage of right now through the companies with the biggest marketing budgets that could easily be handled closer to home.  As a small business owner who comes from a long line of small business owners...this is where one of my priorities does and should lie.

Can we, as a community of strong, intelligent and thoughtful women come together to create a usable blueprint for a more robust local community on the other side of this crisis?  I will post this question on Be Inspired's facebook page seeking your insight!