Diary Installment 24: An optimistic person, a small business, and a mom. This is my diary of sharing, in hopes that we create a sense of community and stick together through this unimaginable time.
It’s 2021 aaaaand, it’s feeling a lot like 2020. Not ideal.
During all the 2020 madness, when bad things have happened – I have taken in the news, digested, and then come up with a plan. I am a CLASSIC Capricorn so I like to make a list and take action.
Lately, during the 2021 upgraded COVID and politics madness, I feel as though I have run out of action. What do we personally do to help Covid go away? Well, stay at home. That sucks. What do we personally do to help a government in turmoil – ummmm, I don’t know. Literally, there doesn’t feel like I can DO anything and that is against every grain of my being.
I was in the dark last week – totally absent from Instagram stories that I normally love to post. I had to take a break. And I started to realize that what I can do…what my being – the optimistic, happy, creative, mom/wife/friend can do…is have HOPE and not give up.
But before we get into that…some bullet points on my week to make you smile:
- I turned 48. I am doing my BEST to focus on the positives of being one year wiser than my sun damaged skin being one-year saggy-ier. Nuff said. THANK YOU to those who emailed me notes from their dermatologists that said it’s ok to get the vaccine even if you had filler. Some allergic reactions have been reported, gulp, but we-are-where-we-are and I plan on getting the vaccine asap!
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I have been on a DETOX plan from some fancy food delivery service. I love their regular meals but listen carefully – detoxing is not for me. May have been obvious to many of you (including my incredible husband and kids loll) but I thought – I’ve got this. There are no words to breakdown how completely I haven’t got this. Monday I was ok but hungry. Headaches started. I was literally crippled with migraines. I was told this is the toxins working their way out and I must have had a tsunami of toxins. I tried the ‘medicinal broth’ we were supposed to have for dinner and eek, not my style. So I subbed in a beer. That’s like a broth, right?
The highlight of the detox was a group text I had with 3 other women, some of whom I know pretty well and one I don’t know at all. We texted each other multiple times during the day and connected over the sh!t show, the hunger, the headaches – laughing and making it entertaining. The tough stuff was fun when with a girl gang 😊
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On Wednesday I went to a strength training session with a personal trainer (covid safe) and I literally almost DIED. My head was pounding. I thought I was going to faint or lose all control of my bodily functions. I was t-r-y-i-n-g to be normal because the trainer said I had good energy but I almost threw-up while doing these pike slidey things. Today I cannotttttt move. I sit down and cannot get back up. My stomach muscles, my arms, my BUTT are soooo sore. Have you ever been sore like that where moving is impossible? That’s me.
The best part of all of it was that I did it. I knew I wanted to work on being stronger and I am on the path. Not there…but on the road. Making steps in the right direction.
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My daughters – despite this crazy time – have found ways to blossom. Sabrina is home from college and had virtual RUSH this week. She is now a pledge and she’s so excited. Happy and energized despite having to do it all on her computer. Tiki, my sweet baby, has been excelling at school and the dreaded ACT test. We are going to drive and walk the campus of a nearby college, and the schools she is considering are so so cool. There just feels like an immense amount of promise for them both. It’s a gift.
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We had a photoshoot on Tuesday – again with all covid precautions in check. Images are coming back and they are beautiful. The new product we are launching is SPECIAL and it makes detoxing seem like a distant scar…ummm I mean memory.
The best part of the shoot? Seeing the creativity of Jane Win come together. Working with Rachel (incredible designer and head of Jane Win production) and Lanie (intern) on getting all the shots, figuring out the outfitting, seeing it come to fruition with such pride. We have continued to create despite factories closing and having limited resources blah blah you know the drill.
OK lets get back to HOPE. I was disheartened – just devastated really about the covid news and the political climate. I had to hide for a week to digest it all. And then… I got back at it. I couldn’t help but be myself and do the things I do. You have been reading the blog long enough to know that I am always trying to be healthier and I do the weirdest things to get there. I aim high, push myself too far and then can’t walk for a week 🤣. But it’s fun and I learn something about myself. I can’t hide – I have to be a MOM, my absolute favorite and number one job. I have to bring joy to my kids every day, and that spirit spreads. I have to keep creating. I can’t hide under the covers because I can’t stand the news because I love making jewelry, I love creating new things from the design to the marketing…and we have to get to work taking beautiful pictures to share with you.
So. That’s HOPE. It’s NOT just a fingers-crossed kinda definition of HOPE. It’s saying, I know I am bringing my energy and positivity and because of that, that has this cool metamorphosis into HOPE for the future.
CLEARLY I am excited about our new HOPE coin and based on the orders (thank you!) you are too. The pre-orders are awesome! The coin is a look forward, with flowers that symbolize the blooms to brighten our days to come.
Sending tons of love and laughs and HOPE (not the fingers-crossed kind, the bubbling blooming kind), xx Janie
IF you have some time, please forward this email to a friend 😊 we want to share the love!
