This is a scary time for everyone — especially small businesses. Over the past week, many of them had to close their doors unexpectedly without any end date in sight. That said, I wanted to take time to give a shoutout to some of the local businesses that I love that really could use our support right now. Many of these places are some that I’ve talked about on my blog on a regular basis. This is going to hurt them, so I’m hoping that this blog can help give them some awareness.

Shining Starz Dance Studio, Branford, Connecticut: Fun fact: Shining Starz is actually owned by one of my best friends from high school! Like many places across the state, the studio is closed. Theresa Shine, the owner, has taken a more virtual approach. She created a private Facebook page where enrolled students could do the classes from home until the end of March. That said, if you’re looking for something to do to stay in shape during a time when the gyms were closed, I would definitely reach out to them. You can find them on Facebook by clicking here.

RJ Julia Booksellers, Madison, Connecticut: RJ Julia is a book lover’s dream. They have so many great events, and it has every bit of charm from a classic local bookseller. What I love most about this book store is honestly the staff. They are so helpful and knowledgable about books, and give excellent recommendations. RJ Julia closed their doors to browse books on Monday. However, that didn’t stop the chain. They are offering phone orders that can be shipped to your door, and of course, online. If you need a great book, I highly recommend you checking them out.

SV Decker, Milford, Connecticut: It’s no secret. I love SV Decker. I get all of my healing gemstone jewelry from there, as well as several of my silver pieces. I love SV Decker simply because of the quality and the good vibes. SV Decker is now strictly online only, but is offering both free shipping and 20 percent off. Definitely pluses!

Do you have some local businesses that deserve a shoutout during this crazy time? Please let me know, and I’ll write another post featuring them.

I actually wasn’t sure if I wanted to blog about this, or if I should even discuss it on my blog and go about it almost as if it was business as usual. But, since this is my personal blog, I almost feel as though I can’t address it.

The world is in complete chaos right now. Many places of business are completely shut down, many of us are still working from home, and some of us are temporarily unemployed. Grocery stores are practically empty with many of the essentials.

Italy is in a state of complete and total chaos. I have a friend who lives in Italy, and I constantly worry about her, as well as her family. And, I’ve read that the U.S. is about ten days behind Italy.

First and foremost, my thoughts and prayers go out to those who are affected by this — whether by battling this illness, or financially. My thoughts go out to our healthcare workers, who are trying to keep everyone safe — including themselves. I wish nothing but good health for everyone.

All of this is terrifying. And, the sad thing is that this is only the beginning.

As of Thursday, my work has been closed and will be closed for the next two weeks. At least. Last night, the State of Connecticut has placed a ban of all in house dining, and closed gyms and movie theaters.

However, there is a message that each and every one of us is hearing from our state representatives — stay home. And, that is what each and every one of us needs to do. We need to social distance — even though this may be awful and isolating. I live alone, so it’s definitely lonely even though I have Lucy.

This is our new normal.

Many of us think that this is being too extreme. However, looking at Italy and realizing the we are only a few days behind is honestly scary. Therefore, I think the least we can do is stay home for a bit.

And, it doesn’t have to be boring. Think of this as unlimited amounts of self care time. If you’re like me, you probably have a ton of books to read, crochet projects, and tv shows to watch. I’m also working from home, so that means I can probably have TV playing in the background while I work, which is something that I love to do. Or, blast music while you work, which is something that always increases productivity. For Lucy, this means having a lot of extra time out of the crate, which is something that I am truly grateful for.

Use this time to just unwind. Many of us are constantly on the go — which could be an indicator as to why this is so challenging — and always complain that we don’t have any time to enjoy the little things in life. Staying home isn’t always a bad thing. And, right now it’s absolutely necessary.

As for this blog, I’ll continue to post regular posts as much as possible.

Stay healthy, everyone!

On February 25, 2019, I woke up to find out that my mother died overnight. My mom was 57. The day prior, we were picking out carpet samples to redecorate the family room.

The cause? A heart attack.

It’s been a year since she had passed away, and now that the numbness has worn off, it’s starting to get real. I am no longer protected by shock – I am starting to truly begin to realize that she is gone. I can still hear her car radio in the driveway when she came home from work. I can still picture her wearing her Southern Mom sweatshirt while cleaning with her iPod shuffle blasting loud disco music. Writing it now, I realize that those memories are further away then ever before. However, they are all I have left.

The thing about losing a parent in your 20s is that everyone tells you how to feel. Others will say things to simply say something – even though it is not helpful. And, many of your peers will not understand what it is like to lose a parent simply because they haven’t.

That said, losing my mom taught me something – that life is truly short. We really don’t know how long we are here for. It’s too short to worry about the small stuff – even though it’s easier said than done. And, because of that, it’s important to enjoy and live life to the fullest capacity. That is why it’s important to me to try to do things that make me happy.

I believe that happiness is composed of the little things. For me, it’s listening to music while I am taking a bath, or morning walks with Lucy. I do some sort of workout every morning, as it is a form of self care. I try to make more time to read, and do things for me. By cramming my day with a ton of things that makes me happy is most important, as it helps me feel as though I am taking care of myself and balancing better.

With that being said, losing my mom the way that I did reminded me to cherish every moment that you get to have with your loved ones – simply because you don’t know how long you will have with them. Many of us often associate that mindset with the elderly. However, we need to apply that mindset to everyone in our lives.  So, that means being grateful for loved ones who call when they are concerned about something. Or, spending time with family even though sometimes it feels like it’s an item of the to-do list.

Learning that lesson was the hardest one that I ever had to learn. I keep on thinking about my mom and all of the things that I took for-granted. I think about how much I miss all of the little things with her. In fact, I just miss her in general.

Nowadays, I try to do more to make me happy in life

That said, I ask you all to hug your loved ones and cherish them. That time that you spend with them is truly the best gift you can give yourself.

In 2017 and 2018, I decided to give up buying books for Lent. In 2019, I did not give up buying books because my mom recently died, and I didn’t want to do that.

Now, in 2020, my tbr is pretty much out of control. On the other hand, I know that I have been reading a lot more than I have in past years. I currently have read 18 books this year, and it’s only March. That said, I still purchase books a lot quicker than I get to actually reading them. So, I decided to once again give up buying books for Lent.

This year, I have a few exceptions to this:

1. Anything acquired through my Book of the Month subscription. I have a subscription to Book of the Month, and I don’t want to cancel or skip this for one month.
2. If I start a series, I want to be able to finish it while it’s fresh in my mind. Therefore, I will be allowing myself to get the second only on my Nook.
3. I am planning to attend a book signing, so it’s okay that I am going to buy the book when I’m there.

That said, the goal this year is to try to read at least seven books. Whether or not I actually complete this, we shall see. So, stay tuned!