Is it even possible??
I really dislike using that word…NORMAL. Could someone define that for me?? Does it mean a 9-5 job in an office? Two children and a white picket fence? The point is, normal is different for everyone. I hear people say all the time, “I just want a normal life.” Really, no ones life is normal. Humans have a way of making life work. We sure have been “making life work” for the last almost 2 years! As some major corporations are contemplating bringing workers back to the office in the new year, there is a lot to process, consider, and even plan. Maybe foremost on our mind is the fact that COVID is still around. We started quarantining and working from home because it existed, and it still does, so why would we consider going back to “normal”. The truth is it’s always going to exist. And variations of it have existed for years. We have got to get through some of the fear, use the knowledge that we have gained, and create an environment where people can be successful and thrive.
“If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.”
Maya Angelou
Set Boundaries – What are you and the people you live with comfortable with? At this point we have all reached a limit. We know by now what we are comfortable with and what we are not. Some of us are comfortable wearing masks everywhere and all the time. Some of us prefer to stay away from people. I find myself being a mixture. I see the importance of live meetings, but understand the risk and apprehension involved. I find myself keeping live stuff to really important things that can’t be done any other way while trying to scale back on the random times out in public or in a crowd. We need to not only set the boundaries for ourselves and our families, but we need to feel comfortable communicating them. It cannot be an atmosphere where people feel afraid of doing what makes them comfortable. At least not yet. This will be a time to test the waters and see where we can go from here. Collaboration is important for many businesses and school is imperative for kids. We have to find a common ground.
Get Healthy – I really wish we could have some serious conversations about how food is medicine. I’m not saying you won’t get COVID or you can cure it with the right diet, but it does make your immune system stronger to fight the virus, and any other illnesses that might come our way. Start with leafy-green vegetables. This is the #1 best source for anti-oxidants that can boost immunity and fight off free radicals. Berries make great warriors too. Try adding a smoothie to your day, whether just for breakfast or an afternoon boost instead of coffee. What if you added a salad to your day? Salads are easy to pack as to-go lunches. The toppings and dressing may not make them “low- fat”, but the bed of greens you add stuff to can make it a health punch! Staying healthy may mean vaccine, maybe that means vitamins, maybe that means loose weight. This is a great time to do double duty on the healthy trip and keep your body fighting germs.
Stay Flexible – Things are definitely going to change. We are going to see times where schools go to remote learning or events that get turned into Zoom calls. It is important to keep that in your mind. It may mean that we still need an at-home learning space for the kids or private office space for Zoom meetings. When the teenager is late for school and my entire schedule gets turned upside down, I get super frustrated! I’ve learned this year to prepare a little flexibility into my schedule. Mentally decide which activities can be moved around and which cannot. The mental exercise of rearranging my schedule is a little calming in itself. We are still being asked to do things a little out of the normal, so mixing that with what used to be normal may take a little mental exercise.
The Real Estate industry didn’t really slow down pre-post-or during the pandemic. We made changes on the fly. And we are keeping most of those…masks are required to see houses, no overlapping appointments, trainings are still virtual or at least have a virtual option. But business is kicking right along! People want to move! Inventory is still super needed with about 5 buyers to every seller. Interest rates are still low enough to save you some money on a monthly payment from pre-pandemic rates. And sellers are still able to get top dollar for their home at a rate of about 19% over pre-pandemic values. We are also beginning to have conversations of dealing with an influx of foreclosures or bank owned properties. I am very interested to see how that whole market levels out and have done some training and preparation to deal with those opportunities.
I am looking forward to a great 2022! Yes, I am a glass-half-full person. Positive energy into the atmosphere will send me positive energy back. That is what I believe. My word for the year is still HELP, same as last year, because I think there are so many more people that will need my HELP in 2022. Whatever your outlook for the year, Good Luck and don’t be Normal!
southerngirlweb 