From Me to You – A Reflection on the State of the World
Hey friends – it’s me, Olivia. It goes without saying that there is a lot of uncertainty in the world right now. This is a crisis. There is no denying it.
On the most basic, baseline level my primary fear is regarding the health of my family and friends. That weighs on my heart every single day. My little sister and one of my oldest and closest friends (who is also 8 months pregnant) both live in Manhattan. My parents are both in the “high risk” age category. My husband works in a hospital.
Beyond the health-related concerns, it is a particularly scary time to be a business owner in America. There are a lot of unknowns in the coming months, and a laundry list of things to worry about.
One thing that I know for sure is that whether you have been a designer for one day or for ten years – there is a very good chance you are scared right now. It is an extremely unnerving time to run your own business and I want you to know that you are not alone. Some of my closest design friends own everything from one woman shops to large-scale agencies, and across the board – they are all scared. You are not alone.
In the past couple of weeks I have:
Watched my favorite printer close indefinitely
Had clients lay off employees
Had a large brewery project push pause on six can designs
Watched friends file for unemployment
Talked to dozens of designers wondering – what do I do now?
Here’s what I know. It is possible to be educated, aware, and also optimistic. These are tender times – without a doubt – but please do not let anyone police how you are reacting to this crisis. We all process emotions differently. Whether you want to take a couple of months off from your business to spend time with your family or double down on finally learning how to apply that perfect texture in Illustrator – you do you. All day, every day. (But please “you do you” at home and only go out if it’s absolutely necessary!)
Follow your heart, feel it all. Give yourself space and time to grieve your business plans if necessary, and then arm yourself with the tools you need to improve your design skills and grow your business, if that’s what you’d like to do.
I do not know what the future holds, but for today, I am at peace with the present. The sun is shining. I have food to eat and water to drink. I am safe at home. And that is enough.