Lord and the Universe know none of us need another COVID-19 message telling you it’s all going to be alright.
That’s not my goal in this post. To be clear, I’m just as scared of the unknown as the next person and while I am an optimist by nature, even this global pandemic has me feeling pretty heavy. My heart aches for my fellow colleagues in the Hospitality, Event and Tourism industries. I’ve stocked up on food and medicine just in case -like most of you have. As you may know our office went to remote work last Monday and we are doing our very best to stay positive and supportive not only for our clients but all our partners as well. The hashtag: #weareinthistogether and #saveevents are very real but by no means make any of us feel any better.
So what now? How do we post on socials like “normal”? What is “normal” anymore? I know we are all thinking this…I mean, can we even go back to the way it “was” -does that even exist any longer knowing what we know now?
Despite this, as the professional planner, type 8 Enneagram I am considered the “Active Controller or the Challenger” so you can only imagine what my mind might feel like these past few weeks with things changing day by day and literally having no control at all. All I know how to do is try to continue to be the optimist among a world of pessimists. Trust when I say I have my doubts and worries too but let’s be frank -what we all really need is a healthy dose of joy with big ole’ side of HOPE. Especially for those who are wedding planning around this time…It’s heart crushing to have come the long journey of planning your wedding only to postpone and reschedule it. Forget the money lost, the loss of joy is almost harder right now. Then if one more person refers to my clients at “CORONABrides” I might just backhand them. Seriously.
You can be scared about your event and the uncertainty of our society at the same time, and still have joy and joyful moments of wonder, at that! Let me add a disclaimer, I’m not making light of the the pandemic. I know people are dying. Companies are collapsing, people have no money in the bank to even buy food. People are mourning and worried for the ones in hospitals fighting for their life. I have family members with declining health, and my own parents (and parents in law) are in their sixties. People are scared, and these fears aren’t unwarranted.
What I am hoping to do is to remind everyone that there is still joy to be found and had amidst this situation and it’s not a crime to feel happy. We need HAPPY. We need to feel joy.
Specifically feeling joy boosts the immune system. (We all need an immune boost right now!) Feeling joy fights stress and pain in the body. Feeling joy creates a positive chain reaction in our system. There are still laughs to be had, memories to make, and a silver lining. (yes, I said a silver lining…) There almost always is. You just have to look for it. (I can feel the daggers coming at me now. Yes, there can be positivity to be found here…) When we feel joy in our bodies because of the release of dopamine and serotonin, two types of neurotransmitters in the brain. Both of these chemicals are heavily associated with happiness.
As we navigate this ever-changing global crisis I write to encourage you to try, and try hard, to find JOY. Keep keepin’ on. Planning a wedding? Stay inspired! KEEP PLANNING! Do not let COVID-19 rob you of your joy during this incredible time in your life. Remember why you were planning in the first place. What love has brought together let no man or virus separate. Cut the COVID-19 clutter out of your social spheres, if even just for a little bit and dive back into Pinterest, Instagram Hashtags and all your favorite inspirational blogs and get to saving those images again! Get inspired again, and let go of the guilt of feeling happy.
To help, I have decided to start re-posting the things that inspire me on our Instagram stories. (I need joy and to feel inspired too!) I have never posted anything but our own work on our FB and Insta, however, I feel now is the time more than ever to let go of our “curated” way of posting on social media. To kick off the deep dive back into the world of serotonin boosting inspiration, here are a few things that I have been coveting lately in the event world. From event pros that are inspiring me to level up, to tablescapes that are super impressive to quotes/info-graphics.
If you have something to share -email us, DM us or text your planning team! We love to see what inspires others, and just maybe together we can boost our immune systems, stay focused on the light and tell the darkness to stay the _ _ _ _ behind us!
#WeareInThisTogether
Inspired by yellow and disco Balls -always disco balls. Give me all the sparkle! Yellow in shades of mustard are really grabbing my attention right now. How cheerful and happy!
Because I am lover of all things dark and moody I am really loving how we are using shades of rust, mustard, dark grays and deep peacock instead of red and black to add that sultry level of interest.
Lastly, interior design and with edgy southwest colors and decor coupled with feminine elements has me wanting to redesign my entire home!
All photos were found on Pinterest and each have a different source that I did not dig to find. If one of the images in this post is yours and you want photocredit just contact me, I am more than happy to credit and link.
Go ahead..dive in, it feels pretty good…
