Tag Archives: pandemic

Life

I can’t breathe


I can’t breathe.
Three words that hurt my soul to the core.

First and foremost, at this very moment, my heart aches for George Floyd, his love ones and all that his death now means to all of us. Along with this comes the great ache in my heart for my brother who passed away just a year and a half ago from an asthma attack…not being able to breathe. And at a time where we are all just trying to get past this crazy pandemic that seemingly targets the lungs, making it difficult for those to do just that- breathe.

Haven’t we had enough of being attacked as humanity that we dive further back generations, deep to bring to the forefront of the past that we all thought we left behind?  What kind of man puts all of his weight onto someone’s neck… and continues to do so despite desperate pleas of:
I can’t breathe.

How is this lack of humanity that has been ever present still here upon us? Perhaps I live with rose tinted glasses on as I want to believe that Covid has brought humanity back in different ways then we had seen the last several years. Engaging with one another, unlike I’ve seen for many years. Helping one another through this pandemic. Then. Just then, a man puts his weight upon man’s neck, suffocating him, leaving him to beg for breathe- even if it was his last. How you can be so barbaric to control the breathe essential for life, for a man begging for his mom? Have you no heart at all? I know I can’t understand the full scope of what the inequality is that still exists, no matter how I may try or show my support. Though I sure as hell can’t understand how you can watch a man die before you, as you take his breathe away.

Although I understand that I can’t breathe is a statement to pay tribute to George Floyd, I hope we can change our saying to I CAN BREATHE…And I plan to make a difference. Keep breathing friends and inspiring one another through your voice, breathing in peace. New Hope. And finding Light at the end of this darkness.

RIP George Floyd.

Life

Alone (Together)

One of the biggest fears we tend to face in life is that of being along. And right now in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic, many are facing the fact that they are home alone. Even if they have loved ones in their home, many are still having to quarantine or simply live through this time- alone.

The reality is, in this world, we are always alone. (Now before you hyperventilate or tell me how you’re not alone in this life. Please give it a thought.) As I realize that seems a bit off-putting, negative and mean girls of me to say. How could this possibly be true, considering the fact that we are often (and typically) surrounded by others? Though, at the end of the day, your life is lived alone. Solely by You.

The feelings you feel, the experience you experience, is lived by you and you alone. (Picking up what I’m throwing down?). I’m by no means disregarding the endless love and support of friends, family and those closest to us. As their involvement in life and their love bestowed upon is essential to our souls.

However, with that being said-
The more we are able to feel, acknowledge and own this “feeling of alone” is when we set ourselves free from the negative connotation of “being alone.” It allows us to find strength in being by ourselves. During this time of isolation, can we embrace and enjoy the experience of being alone? Work on the friendship we have with ourselves? We can’t go outside, so go Inside. Dive in deep. And I promise the feeling of being alone will no longer be so daunting. Before you know it, you’ll be coming out of this Lockdown stronger than ever. Ready to live life confidently knowing you can face one of the most stressful, anxiety producing, fear-in-your-face daily experience. And guess what you, you did it alone. Soon there will be time to unveil this even better version of yourself, emerging out of the COVID dust. Work on the friendship you have with you.

And when you’ve had your fill of being alone, throw on Dnice’s Club Quarantine playlist for your own private dance party or meditate with some of the best across the globe, easily within reach, playing on an Instagram Screen near you. Hello You. We’ll get through this (alone) together.

Some musical inspiration to get comfortable being alone & hope for togetherness soon…
1.) Go it alone: Beck
2.) Be Alone: Ben Harper
3.) Golden- Jill Scott
4.) We’ll be Together- Sting
5.) (INSERT YOUR SUGGESTIONS)

Life

La-La-Lockdown

1 Comment


Here we sit in 2020 with great hope and anticipation for an amazing year ahead. Thankful to say Good riddance to 2019. And yet oddly enough, here we are on the eve of isolation and lockdown. We haven’t experienced anything like this before and it seems this new change is not only quickly approaching but is here. Right here. Right now. Never having to minimize our lifestyle, nor certainly not remaining with our 4 walls for an extended period of time. As we, as a society, simply never shut down. Business and work ethic is seemingly inherent in our veins. Our DNA. Like it or not, that has been the legacy of America.  So now what? What is one expected to do when the world has come to a screeching halt?! Stay at home you say?

How does life go on….now that we’re on lockdown? Americans have always been known to be big consumers and with that comes supply, demand and plenty of options. Options for days. For anything and everything. From products to dating- we have come to expect options in every aspect of our life. Shop in the grocery stores now with little to no options, certainly is a lesson within itself. And dare I discuss the issue of toilet paper? I digress….
This may not be a big deal in say, France, where if you’re in the market for a bar of soap, you may have a few options. That’s it, C’est Tous. It is what it is. And to be honest, do you really need 543 different types of soap? Now, let’s be clear, I’m by no means saying I’m not a girl who loves her options…I certainly do. However, it’s times like these that we realize the excessive ways in which we live.  The times like these when our shelves of supplies are cleared out and there simply are no options whatsoever. (Once again excessive- only in this case, hoarding for hoarding sake.) We need to find balance in all this recently disrupted and ever-adjusted way of life. And hopefully find also a replenished stock of toilet paper and hand sanitizer!

How can we learn and LIVE from our global neighbors who have already been on lockdown? Well, for starters, The Italians have ALWAYS known how to live. And this time is certainly no exception. In fact, it only further demonstrates how much they embrace the joy of living each and every moment. Singing on the streets together while locked in their homes to avoid the spread of the virus. Instead spreading notes and words of cheer in moments of despair. Inspiring themselves, one another, and in the process the entire globe. This time of coming together as humanity is long overdue. Although this moment brings with it heartbreaking tragedy and daily news to reflect this, I believe this is also offers us an incredible opportunity to grow stronger together in a more connected, conscious and loving way. Maybe share a roll of TP with a stranger? My hope and belief is that we will see great gestures of love and humanity rise to the occasion. A girl can dream. And I encourage everyone of you to do the same. It takes a world to heal the world. With wishes for good health and good cheer, friends. 

Life

A dose of reality.

We have been brought to our knees with this pandemic. The irony of it is that those that are clinging so strongly to the past, wanting to get back to business and embrace the life they once knew, are Unwilling to accept the reality of what life is going to be after the so-called dust settles. For it is not going to be a pick up where we left off and continue life as usual or in their minds “business as usual.” Those days are gone. Mother nature is angry, combined now with Covid-19 showing us that there is no looking to the past, only living in the present. . 

A dose of reality. It’s as if the collective of the globe of what we have been focusing on for far too long.
If before all we wanted to do was work…. now that’s all we have, is work.  (For those fortunate enough to keep their jobs, that is)
All we wanted to do is be on our phones and devices…Guess what, that’s all we have now, when you can’t be around friends and loved ones, or simply to be near others. 
The robots we feared taking over life, in one aspect is exactly who we have become. Checked out working machines. Speaking and connecting only via a device. Now sadly we have realized we actually want to be humans. Now that we are self isolating. We seek connection. We seek the simple things. You know, the things that make life, Life? Not just communicating via Zoom.

In one aspect, it is a truly remarkable time to be alive. To witness this major shift in our lives, one that has been apparently quite necessary for the entire globe for some time. A reset if you will. Affecting everyone and everything. Life as we knew it has completely shifted. So it makes sense that the world is doomsday prepping. (To some degree, that is). However, going to grocery stores frantically looking for anything you might want to eat in the next week to three months? This in itself is an entirely new concept. Not to mention, there’s nothing left. It’s like the Grinch who stole Christmas came in and took up the entire grocery store. We all know some are buying excessive amounts to ensure survival. How many trees will be taken down to accommodate all the seemingly never ending need for Toilet Paper you ask? I get it… we want our creature comforts, but holy mother lode people!! It’s not as if this coronavirus is causing diarrhea. (At least we hope not.)

The reality is everyone is scrambling and scared to death of what this could mean for our lives today and in the weeks to come. It’s all a crapshoot (pun intended) to be honest with you. Looks like we are in for quite a ride. Buckle up my friends, live in the moment, hope for a better tomorrow, Connect with your loved ones often…and grab an extra roll of T.P. (apparently).
Godspeed one and all….

Life

Wall Street to Wellness

From wall to well direct my discoveries in this world of health and wellness. When I started along this “official journey” of discovering where America was in terms of Wellness I quickly found that many of the new areas of Health and wellness were being driven by Wall Street. I found many making their shift not only in their personal lives but also in their career of moving into the area of wellness. Many I found are former Wall Street executives, hedge fund managers and the like who have made the transition to work within wellness. Honestly I happen to think they’re geniuses. For it is the wellness category that will continue to rise scale and be one of the most profitable industries now and in future. With so much of the consumer expenditure already being driven by millennials and at a significant rate (and expenditure), this is a trend I don’t see passing through anytime soon.   Many of these former Financial Minds not only saw this as a great potential for amazing business as the world shifts it’s focus on health, but also a way to work for something meaningful. Sadly, many of them found themselves here through either illness or simply tired of the stress and overload with what has become the norm in day-to-day work here in the US.

I myself share in their story as I was diagnosed with a Hashimoto’s thyroid immune disease right after one of my biggest projects opened a few years ago. And ironically just six months after being diagnosed I was promoted into this role of health and wellness. This has been a magical and an incredible journey for me to not only meet some of the most amazing soulful connected individuals that have great passion for driving wellness and working together. Additionally, each of them have offered me so much more on my road to wellness and all in my journey of figuring out how to love my thyroid and my overall health.  I feel so honored to experience and be the guinea pig for all the new and old, the up and coming, new to market, techniques technologies and the already tried and true. So I have experienced a very broad spectrum in this area of wellness and I am so excited for what the future holds. I’m most excited that we as a society are working on honoring our self and putting ourselves first so that the rest of the world gets the best of who we truly are.

It may have been a longer journey to get from Wall Street to Wellness, though I’m thankful that there has been an increased desire to Make America Healthy Again. Many offerings await, from modern technology and tools to help guide your wellness journey, to traditional tried and true ways with Eastern Medicine and non-traditional routes. Either way, I hope your journey to wellness leads you along the right path to bring health and happiness to you and yours.