Squatting in Style
Coping During this Economic Crisis Part I
I have often joked with my friends that I should write a book about squatting in style; I believe it’s a tongue in cheek double entendre. I love to exercise and squatting is one of the fundamentals of exercise, but it also refers to occupying a dwelling you are not paying for!
I married young, and became a homeowner at the ripe old age of 25. After divorcing at 43 I bought my own home, which was destroyed by Hurricane Jeanne in 2004 a mere two months after I moved in it. Because of complications, including a corrupt contractor, insurance complications etc., I was stranded without a home from September 25, 2004 till November 2006.
During this time, I was fortunate to have a supportive family, friends in the real-estate biz and clients who loved me and wanted to be helpful. I landed a succession of nice places to live and great pets to sit for! At that time I thought I was just surviving MY disaster, you know, a divorce, and my roof being ripped off by a hurricane, things like that. Later I realized we were all surviving a national disaster. In the meantime, my goal was survival. I had been a Massage Therapist with a very busy practice; I also taught exercise and had my own shop with Pilates Equipment.
Because of the hurricane damage in Brevard and Indian River Counties, a good portion of my clients were preoccupied. My business began to decline due to the fact that so many people had lost their homes or use of their businesses. I had to learn to adapt. I stretched my skills to include care giving, personal assisting, and hiring myself as an over all come in handy kind of girl. Because I lived and worked in Brevard County for so long (two decades) I knew a variety of people. I knew carpet store owners, tile installers, chefs, Realtors, business owners of all kinds. Whenever I massage or train a client, I tend to send loving energy towards their business. My clients are smart, creative and make good things happen in our community; I like to lend them my spiritual support.
I also like to serve as a referral source. I enjoy connecting people to each other; they may be able to help one another down the road. I believe that the reason I was able to survive is because of the psychic energy I lovingly spread throughout my community for years. The prayers and generosity of energy I sent out were exponentially repaid to me.
When the dust settled and I tried to restore normalcy to my life through work, I quickly realized that was not going to be possible. I was in trouble. Work was scarce because the friends and clients I had worked with for years were struggling themselves. They could no longer afford my services.
I let my friends know I needed work and would be willing to help them any way I could. I helped a friend promote her Yoga studio and gave free classes here and there or covered for her when she was out of town. That’s how I found a gentleman who became one of my favorite clients, Normy !
His daughter attended yoga classes there. I have helped realtor friends throw open houses, research prospective homes, even staged vacant homes with my furniture until my dwelling was restored. One of the families I worked for hired me to travel with them and help with the children. I served as a personal assistant and care giver and in turn I got to enjoy travel in private planes and Yachts as well as staying at their home in the Bahamas. I helped with entertaining, massaged the family members and guest. I taught their guest Tai chi and helped with the cleaning and cooking.
My main motto was how can I come in handy? Next thing you know, I have another client friend say “hey, we have to travel to South Carolina, then D.C. then onto New Hampshire after we stop in New York and then have an event in Vermont to promote? Wanna come along and be helpful?” She knew I was good at helping to entertain, respected their privacy and had time to help.
That same family also hired me to take care of their Mom while she was preparing for knee surgery. I took her to the gym, worked her out and stretched her I also cared for her through the surgery and drove her to appointments.
Check back in a few days for part II…
Valentina…
