Wow! What a year!!!! I (we) have lived through a year with a global pandemic! There is a part of me that still doesn’t believe that this has happened. I can’t even imagine where the world is going or what it will look like when the dust settles.
I would like to share a little bit of my experience as a small business in Central Alberta. I am sure every business owner has had a different experience, my experience is of support. My support came from my husband ( I have to acknowledge him first!), my family, my HeartFelt community and the government.
I opened HeartFelt Yoga on November 3, 2019. By March 18th, 2020, the day I officially closed, the studio was still trying to find it’s footing. HeartFelt Yoga was closed for exactly three months during the first quarantine. The doors reopened on June 18th. During those first three months, I was very thankful for the support of the building landlord & the support of the Government of Canada.
The HeartFelt Yoga community started to trickle back to the studio right away. I think my first monthly email went out to nine people and it was growing at a good pace every month. I was so full of gratitude for every person who walked through the door. This time, by November 27, 2020, when HeartFelt Yoga closed for the second quarantine, it felt like the space was just starting to hit it’s stride! Of course, I would’ve preferred to stay open and continue my work- but again I was supported during this time.
It has broke my heart to see businesses close all around me. I know I felt a real loss when the very first yoga studio in Red Deer, YARD, closed. I practiced there consistently for a number of years. There were times when I wondered if that might be a reality for my little space too. I have cried many tears- tears of fear, tears of frustration & anger, tears of sadness & loss. I have also witnessed my perseverance, determination and strength.
This week I welcomed back my first students since November, a little shy of three months this time. These two lovely ladies were the first to book an appointment back in June, so it’s only fitting that they are the first this time too. I love my HeartFelt community!!
Who knows what will happen moving forward from here. One of the foundational teachings of yoga is to go with the flow of life, to not resist. So, this has been my practice this past year- trusting that no matter what happens I have all that I need to stand tall and move forward.
I share this with you, to give you just one perspective in a sea of many.
Until next time,
Sandra