PANDEMIC:
LESSONS, LOVE & LAUGHTER While we should have been convening, conversing and celebrating at the 10th annual Orlando Women’s Conference, we were under stay-at-home orders. Since we couldn’t be together in person, we asked some of our speakers to share their thoughts on this unprecedented period in our lives. Some of the things I think I have learned: * It is NOT necessary to travel to that meeting in New York; you can very easily share presentations and documents on any of the many platforms. * I wish I had bought shares in Zoom! * The environment is taking a big giant breath as we travel less.
This “stay-at-home” experience has been a vast change from my normal life. I have really never taken extended time off during my whole training experience, going straight into the venture of starting my own solo practice out of fellowship. I have turned from facial plastic surgeon and business owner and manager to full-time stay-athome mom. The homeschooling experience has been interesting and has many challenges. Now that I have accepted this change is going to last some time, I am trying to use this time for some reflection and self-care. Our family is growing closer, but we definitely very much miss the interactions with our friends and family. I truly believe we were built for human interaction, and this extreme change has been challenging. Yet, this time offers incredible quality time for my family and importantly, me. We are cooking a lot and involving the children. We are also spending a lot of time outside — biking, kayaking, swimming, jogging, hiking. This will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and first and foremost, is the health of the community; nonetheless, this time is precious, and we need to make the most of it. I believe this time will be a reset button for the world to reflect on what we want to do with our short lives on Earth and make sure we focus on the things that are truly important.
Ruth Hill Yeilding, MD, YMD Eye & Face 88
orangeappeal.com
Things I have loved: * The number of people from all over who have checked in on me. * The virtual happy hours, bingo games and trivia quizzes. * Being on a tri-continent call with friends in Australia, the UK and US. * The way people have come together to support each other, and the “sweatshops” that have sprung up everywhere to make masks. Things I have laughed about: * The creativity of so many of the memes and videos. * Talking about Tiger King with friends. * Going to a friend’s house to stand on their lawn and sing “Happy Birthday” from a safe distance. * Our Orlando Pride players doing a whole exercise routine dressed in ’70s gear.
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Kay Rawlins, Orlando City Soccer
have joked that thanks to COVID-19, I’m living my best life. Who knew it would take a pandemic to force me into slowing down and finally acting on the simple things I only dreamt of doing before (if only I had more time)? Something as simple as getting coffee on a morning walk with my dog around Park Avenue. I’ve thought about how blissful this would be for about a year, and I’m just now doing it! The idea of slowing down and being more present has translated to many aspects of my life, including my business. It’s been a daily process of assessing our current situation and how I need to/can shift my business to provide value to my community. I believe that something on all of our minds is, “How can I give back?” For me that has been taking the cooking classes I normally host in-person and moving them online by offering a mini cooking series on Instagram. Even though we are all experiencing change and challenges, it has been incredible to see how the community has rallied around one another. Even if it’s as simple as cooking together through a virtual platform, it makes us feel more connected, maybe even more than ever.
Carly Paige, FitLiving Eats
