Not only do I own Arch Addicts, but I am also a working esthetician. Like many of the professionals who follow me here, this pandemic has come with some challenges. For a time, we were forced to close our doors. Now, we're opening our doors again, but doing it very carefully. Here's my reopening journey...

Opening your doors and letting people in again for the first time in months is exciting, but comes with a whole new set of unfamiliar concerns. This is terrain that none of us have ever had to navigate before, and no one feels equipped to do it perfectly; we have to just do the best we can.

Here are some of the things on our minds as we carefully start-up business operations and reopen our doors…

Excitement

It’s incredible to finally get to use our skills and do what we are passionate about again! There are only so many new hobbies a person can try before we just want to get back to work. We want to see old faces, new faces, and challenge ourselves. Getting things up and running gives us a reason to get out of bed in the morning, and a reason to be proud of the day when we get home at night. We’re eager to bring some life and value into people’s lives, even if we can’t see the smiles past the masks, and work is a natural way to contribute to our world.

Anxiety

Along with the positive emotions, we feel some anxiety when reopening our businesses. Every step we take must be careful, thoughtful, and cautious. Nothing can slip through the cracks, because the health and wellbeing of every person matters to us. The pressure to stay 100% Covid-free is immense. We know we can’t control everything, but we can slow it down, decrease the chances, and keep working hard. We’re doing everything we can to keep our clients and ourselves safe and healthy, so that while we feel that stress, those who come in the door don’t have to. We want to surround them with a safe experience so that they can truly relax in our space!

Reconnection

Being alone, or even with just our families for so long, is lonely! We, as human beings, are not made to be solo. Getting back to work and reopening our doors means reconnecting with our clients, seeing people every day – hearing about their lives, their stories, their passions. Our clients are like friends and family; we miss them. We want to see their faces again and be social!

Everyone Thinks Differently

Last, we need to recognize that everyone has a different perspective on this pandemic. Some think we should never have closed, and others think we shouldn’t be opening even now. As we try to wrestle with our own stance on it, we also have to be understanding of others and their experiences. We have to consider our financial situation, our desire for safety, those who may be at risk, and those who are scared of the blow to our economy. Every day, we respectfully consider our clients and where they stand. We want them to feel safe with us, and we’re doing everything we can to make that happen. Though everyone comes in with a different perspective, we know we can all work together to understand each other and stay safe.

Conclusion

Reopening a business after all this time is messy, exciting, and full of challenges. We taking a leap of faith and pushing forward because of the benefits it can have on us and those around us – but we’re taking that leap cautiously and with dozens of safety measures in place.

Through it all, we know we are not alone, and together we can thrive.

Thanks for being part of this journey with me! – Angela