And There You Have It ~ by Trisha

So back in mid-march this thing happened (COVID-19), and I was so sure that we would really just be home for 3-5 weeks, then right back at it...boy, was I wrong! Ha! Here it is mid-May and I still don’t know when I get to go back to one of my favorite things, work! 

I have been so blessed to be able to work from home for one of my two jobs, however my real passion, creating connections with people, has been put on an indefinite hold.  Talk about the feeling of withdrawal! Not being able to do what I love most has been surreal.  Especially finally coming to the realization of what exactly it is I love to do.  It most definitely has not been a direct path, but a path with a lot of learning how to embrace what felt like failure, but really was just eliminating options. 

So, what do you do when you aren’t allowed to be around people in close proximity and that is one of your favorite things? Well, you learn how to in my case at least, nest in your home, re-discover your favorite hobbies, get lost in a new book series, and bake peanut butter cookies till your heart (and stomach) are content. All that being said, what does this have to do with this… well really just to say that I sincerely miss being at the spa getting to spend time with all our clients!

Also, trying to figure out exactly how to re-open (once we are all allowed to, of course) safely and with all of the precautions we can for everyone.  As some of you may or may not know, both Tamara and myself are at high risk of complications should either of us get sick.  To say we are not taking the severity of this situation lightly would be an understatement. 

How can we continue to provide our services with such a virus running amuck? Well, luckily for all us, sanitation standards and prevention of the spread of diseases is a huge part of schooling as an esthetician.  Also, in case you were not aware, Tamara and I are both germaphobes and have always gone above and beyond the state of Oregon requirements.

This means that like many other places you visit, or used to, things will be different.  Face masks are just going to be a thing that everyone gets the privilege to wear.  Hand-washing will be shining bright with a before and after spotlight on every single thing we do & touch.

As a business it means looking at increased costs for  a faster ‘kill time’ disinfectant, removing anything that cannot be cleaned with soap & water and then sprayed down, and investing in way too many closed containers so as to not expose any product.

The other aspect of this is how we strive to not negatively impact our clients' experience.  By adhering to strict systems that we put into place surrounding sanitation to protect our clients and ourselves we can take back a little slice of control in such an unknown time.

​If any of you have anxiety like I do, you know how powerful it can be to have just a little control over something, when everything seems so out of our control and isolating.  It's the only way I feel as though I can begin to redefine how I can continue to show up and support our clients and my coworkers.

What can you expect when we are finally allowed to reopen? Expect a cautious and very thought out reopening. Tamara and myself have put countless hours into figuring out how exactly to protect everyone best. 

This will definitely include a new look to our lobby; don’t worry, we will make sure its still fun and inviting; a personal phone call to every client once we know when we will be able to open back up, and finally a few new policies on our end as service providers and your end as clients.

We will have to tighten up on a few things, especially in regards to anyone (staff or clients) not feeling well or still recovering. Don’t worry, we will make sure to fill you in on all the important details before we get to see you in person again! 

Our focus has and remains to be providing safe services for all people and we will continue to do this when we get to reopen! In the meantime, I decided that it's time for a little behind the scenes look into our team and our new work from home coworkers! Those of you who know me, also know that my cat, Rascal is perfectly named. More on all of our adorable fluffy’s in upcoming updates.

Stay safe and please email me if you have any questions or concerns...or just wanna share something funny, cute, or that contains a cute fluffy animal. 

Air hugs,  Trisha