Take That Break
(Lucy Black Entertainment artist performs at Beyond the Blackout on Sept.15 co-planned by LaJoy Plans and Bright Occasions)
I believe that during the pandemic we each deserve a break from this new reality. As an entrepreneur, mid-March through April took my breath away; business calls were related to cancelling or postponing, the view from my home window in downtown DC was filled with people in a frenzy carrying 20 packets of toilet paper, and I suffered from insomnia. Like most of us, I knew fundamentally that the world was changing whether I was ready or not, and so I did what I think most people did: I got angry, anxious, conflicted, confused, depressed, but I was also determined not to give up. My desires were clouded by a conflicting backdrop as loved ones were getting sick, my Dad’s nurse brother died from COVID-19, my best year financially was slowly becoming my worst, and soon I was without my normal outlets to relieve stress such as restaurants, movies, or traditional gyms.
Take a break. Yes, I heard that whisper, but I did not feel entitled to a break when I was not bringing in income. Therefore, I approached the idea of taking a break using the following three-step process. As I reflect back, I believe this process helped my sanity, kept the quarantine 15 at bay, and provided space for my business to evolve.
Step 1: Mental break – For me this was the hardest part, which is why I did it first. In short, I had to let go of the sweet success I had envisioned for 2020 and settle into a new, low-functioning business reality. But, rather than stay in sweats every day, I decided to, at a minimum, get dressed daily (except casual day on Friday), invest in continuing education, and continue with our website and new logo launch. Did the negative feelings come? Absolutely! And I would allow those feelings to visit for a while and treated them by laughing at reality TV or with my family. My mental break was built on this simple mantra: “This is not my fault.” I repeated this to myself numerous times and months later I can report that I believe this statement fully.
Step 2: Physical break – I decided for the first time in a while not to diet or emotionally eat as a way to solve my financial and COVID anxiety. As a result, I became hyperactive with online workouts and, as a self-proclaimed home chef, experimented with new recipes (lobster on Thursdays—why not?), and explored wine pairings. The unintended result was that with a significant work gap, I worked out every day while eating interesting home-cooked meals and, then, guess what? I lost weight. My physical break was built on this mantra: “Good food and movement are expressions of kindness to my body.” Sometimes that means smoothies and other times it means bacon, but somewhere in the middle I found joy, culinary delights, and a movement routine I plan to continue.
Step 3: Work break – The break from live events was inevitable. Rather than fighting it, I let live events completely go on their required break and decided to dive headfirst into meeting interesting people and prioritizing my family. In this season I have established friendships that feel like lifelong connections but, more importantly, I was so busy enjoying people that when work came back, I was even more committed to maintaining balance.
Lastly, I took a dedicated break. My love and I went away to a private beach for two days and unplugged from the internet. When I returned, I came back with clarity, mental strength, and enhanced joy. One week after my return, the business saw new life and now I look back with humble gratitude because in addition to being healthy and alive despite COVID, this break has added richness to my life.
My point? Take your break, reset, and be open to what develops; while your world is on pause, your 2020 vision is evolving and may even exceed your expectations.
