Well now what?

Some of you may know that we have a YouTube channel; but I’m assuming most of you don’t. It is a very small channel that is very new. Now that the world is turned on its side and everyone is under stay home orders, I’m not really sure what to do. From what I gather, I’m not the only one in this boat.

Our channel is very new, in fact, we are still learning as we go when it comes to editing videos. I had been wanting to be a content creator for a long time, but I always talked myself out of it. I like many others out there said to myself “You’re too old to be a content creator.” “What do you even know enough about to talk about,” “You don’t know how to film, or edit.” And while all of those things are true, I decided not to let it stop me anymore! The Thriftly channel is fashion based entertainment. It’s a small operation. My husband and myself do everything ourselves.

That being said we started out trying to publish a new video every two weeks, but we had a couple of hiccups with technology (i.e. my brand new two week old laptop’s hard drive completely frying and having to be sent into the company for repairs, and the post services carrying my brand new fried and the repaired laptop taking what felt like forever). And then the world came to a screeching halt and everything has focused on covid 19, homeschooling one kid, entertaining the other (so the first can actually complete his work), temporarily shutting down my primary business (my salon), and surviving being quarantined with two small children.

I’m talking we have a huge list of video ideas just waiting to be filmed. But with our content area being so rooted in shopping and thrifting, we just don’t know where to take it! Like we aren’t allowed to go shopping or thrifting anymore until the social distancing orders are lifted. And our income has be reduced, as I am not allowed to work at my primary business. This reduces the number of frivolous things we can currently spend money on, until I am able to open my salon again.

I know others are in this same boat, there are content creators all over that are not posting to their regular schedule right now because we, like most everyone else, are not in the right head space. We’re stressed, we’re worried, we’re depressed. And ya’ll it is not possible that we aren’t the only ones. I know there are many cosmetologists that feel this way because we are a very public and connected industry. And mom’s are doing their best to alleviate these feelings in our children, and hide our own personal feelings from our kids. Right now everyone is doing the best with what we have.

I can’t be the only content creator who is bored with all her “lame” quarantine ideas! I feel like this is a global feeling of panic and boredom all rolled into one stressful ball. I’m not sure what to do with these feelings. I’m also not sure how potential views will react to a video that is “too serious” during this time that is so stressful in and of itself; or on the flip side I’m afraid of coming off as “too silly” for trying to lift people’s spirits. I’m not really sure how I’m going to tackle this feeling quite yet, but I know if I don’t get back to some sort of normal, I am going to lose my mind.

Maybe that’s the answer at this point as the world is at a “hurry up and wait” standstill. Maybe we need to just try to make something that we can control “normal.” If we can only control one thing and that is our content, then we need to quit avoiding it and take it on. So this is my call to action to no one other than myself. Wake up, drink your coffee, get excited, and brainstorm on how we can get things back under control. So for another night I encourage you to stay home, stay safe, and wash your dang hands!