"Virtual Reality"... Living by Mantras of Humanity
It's an evolving world that we're living in. With the recent outbreak of COVID-19 we have had to make extreme adjustments to all that we have become familiar with, that would be considered normal in our day to day life. Quarantine measures have been implemented in countries around the world, forcing business shutdowns, shifting operations to go online and advising people to stay at home. Our Spa and Hospitality Industry has been greatly impacted with layoffs, furloughs and a mad rush to file for unemployment benefits. Life and work as we know it has drastically changed.
Yet being surrounded by an industry that has been embracing wellness for many years has taught us to dig deep into our spirituality for comfort and tap into our creative juices to find resources to work with. Our life is now a virtual reality filled with webinars, zoom calls and a variety of ways to reach out to one another, staying socially connected while being physically distant.
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"ZOOM
IN" to get your
“Virtual Hugs”
from our
FSA
Team with gratitude
for our
Spa Community!!
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"Charlotte's Web" of Wellness
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Charlotte Prescott
Director of Spa & Fitness, Fisher Island Club, Miami Beach
Florida Spa Association President
Because of the coronavirus
It’s amazing how in just a few weeks, our every day expressions have changed. Those with young children can appreciate that we parents would usually say, “make sure you wipe well,” as your child heads to the restroom. And whilst, I know we are all still hoping for that, we have replaced the expression with “Kids, remember only take a few squares, we want to see how long that toilet roll can last.”
Like so many parents all around the world, I have found myself repeated saying to my children when asked just about anything, “because of the coronavirus.” Why can’t my friend come over…
because of the cornonavirus.”
Why can’t we go swimming or to the park…
because of the cornonavirus.
” Why aren’t we going away at Easter…
because of the cornonavirus.
” There are so many plans cancelled. So many visits with loved ones on hold. For so many it feels like deleting months of planned commitments, activities, progress and breaking our day to day schedules.
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Linda Higgs
Director of Spa & Fitness
The Spa at Auberge Beach, Fort Lauderdale
Florida Spa Association Board Chair
THE VALUE OF A TEAM
Hard times often force us to quietly sit back, reflect, and appreciate some things we have once taken for granted, or maybe just never deeply relished in appreciation for. Today, we clearly see the value of a team. When something comes in and suddenly disrupts a cohesive team, we are left holding a bag of emotions and struggle to process. A team is a dynamic, productive group of talent, personality and skill. It is a community of laughter, banter and sarcasm. It’s a lifeline of support, care and understanding where sometimes it can be a culture of struggles, varied viewpoints, actions and behaviors. But most of all, a team is a family!
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LINDA’S TIPS FOR WORKING FROM HOME:
1.
Create a standing desk space
– kitchen counters work well
2.
Keep your glam and style
– wear your best lounge wear
3.
Get outdoors every hour
– take a break for fresh air and green space
4.
Lock the kitchen cabinets
– just kidding, but seriously be careful of those snacks
5.
Create a workout space
– garage, back yard, balcony. Write your weekly fitness routine and commit
6.
Enjoy your meals in a separate place
– dine elegantly and relaxed and not at your workspace – use your best
plates & glasses
7.
Schedule your routine and stand by it
– screen time, connecting with loved ones, wellness time, education etc.
create small, attainable outcomes
8.
Take an essential oil break
– a moment of inhalation to reset and re-balance
9.
Stretch
– every hour, take 60 seconds to stretch and get the blood flowing
10.
Celebrate
– your daily achievement with self-gratitude
LINDA’S TOP 10 PODCASTS FOR THE COOPED-UP SPA PEEP:
1.
Under the Skin with Russel Brand
- What’s beneath the surface of people we admire
2.
Mind-pump
- Fitness, Health and Nutrition
3.
The Skinny Confidential
- Wellness, Beauty & Business
4.
The School of Greatness
- Inspiring Stories from Brilliant Minds
5.
Style Your Mind
- For Success Driven Women on the Edge of Change
6.
The Splendid Table
- Food, People and Culture
7.
Aubrey Marcus
- Relation, Health, Business and Spirituality
8.
The Mindset Mentor
- Motivation, Director and Focus
9.
The Goop
- Gwyneth Paltro chats with leading thinkers
10.
Bon Appétite
- Food talk with Chefs and Writers
Oh, and because there are too many good ones, I had to add #11…
11.
Gastropod
- From aquaculture to ancient feast, from microbes to Malbec
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Suzanne Holbrook
Senior Corporate Director, Spa Operations
Marriott International, Ritz-Carlton
Florida Spa Association Senior Advisor to the Board
Major adversity paves the way to fast change!
Typically change is always taking place but moves along steadily and at a normal pace. Ground-breaking ideas and on-going operational practices drive us forward. But at a time when societies and industries face a catastrophe, extraordinary events lead to fears which push us to find and lead new ways that create change and modifications quickly. This is what we predict for the future in our Spa Industry and Community…...adjusting to a new way of doing business! More to come next month on how I envision our industry changing in the world of Spa and Wellness.
Good wishes to all.... stay healthy, stay happy and stay safe!!
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Jill Barron
Spa Director
Ocean Reef Club Salon & Spa, Key Largo
Florida Spa Association Advisory Board Member
Working at a Closed Facility
It is no secret that social distancing has become our new normal, and that it has greatly affected everyone’s daily life. This is definitely a challenging time for many, and although the Ocean Reef Club Salon & Spa is temporarily closed due to the Coronavirus, I am very grateful that for the time being, I am able to continue working. I can fortunately do a lot from home, and if I do need to go in for anything, the building is completely closed, so it is locked and empty. Like so many of us, I am used to seeing hundreds of people pass through our Spa daily, so to walk in to a dark, quiet, empty building is very surreal and strange. What keeps me going is everyone on my team and our clients, and for all of them, I do my best to stay motivated, positive, and to let them know we are still here, that we miss them, and that we are more ready than ever to service them the minute we are able.
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Hopeful for a flood of business for us all in the end!
With all the seriousness that this virus brings, (and warrants), I am one who needs to laugh to get through hard times and to stay sane. One way that I have been able to get through this is by laughing at all the funny memes people send about missing their spa and salon services. There are some hilarious pictures of people quarantining and how they look without their favorite beauty professionals. That has made myself and my team feel confident that people are waiting and ready to rush back to us with an appointment the minute they can. I can’t wait for the day that our phones are ringing off the hook, and our wait-lists are 20 pages long again, and I am very confident that they will be again soon.
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Committee Chairs Chime In
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Mitchell Berkman
Spa & Wellness Director
Villa Grande, Porto Vita Property Owners Association
Florida Spa Association Committee Chair
Make Your Dollah' Hollah!
In our current COVID-19 state of manic panic, I see a need to return to basics. A common nexus for tried and true ideas and a few doses of "Save-the-Planet dammit" sensibilities. Here are Mitch's (Spa Director for what remains of Porto Vita's Spa & Wellness Center), "Make Your Dollah' Hollah" ideas for improving the flexibility of your Franklins at home and work (whether you still have one or are newly looking):
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Well, I'm wasting time if I'm wasting money so gotta get back to assisting my F & B department with to-go deliveries (since that is the only operation in my clubhouse still generating revenue)! Gotta stay relevant to stay employed! See ya at the next FSA Zoom Happy Hour!
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Katrina Kalkowski
Director of Spa Serenity
Turnberry Ocean Colony, Sunny Isles
Florida Spa Association Committee Co-Chair
In The Eyes of a Millennial
What is a millennial? A millennial is anyone born between 1981 to 1994 (age range of 39-26 years of age), which is a fairly large age range if you ask me. A great majority of the avocado-toast loving, social media obsessed millennial's are actually in fact settled down, have stable career defining jobs, married, and have kids. The other percent may be the “younger millennial” who may still have that urge for the spring break, “drink all day, play all night, I’m in Miami...” (LMFAO reference for you who are not millennial's) and their counterpart of the older Gen Z (1995-2015). I will be the first to say, I am on the end of the scale for Millennial’s but I and everyone I know from my Graduation class was not out at the beaches during spring break, this was probably Gen Z. Millennials already get enough blame for many other things, but we shouldn’t get blamed for the spread of Coronavirus.
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FSA ZOOM VIDEO CONFERENCE CALL
1st call April 14th at 4:00pm
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While stuck at home....
LIFT YOUR SPIRITS
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Contributed by FSA Mixologist, Linda Higgs
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Upcoming Events
FSA Seagate Hotel & Spa Event
Seaside Elegance “A WELLNESS AWAKENING”!
IT’S STILL ON!
Mark your calendars for the next FSA Event, Seaside Elegance on May 9
th
"A Wellness Awakening"
The FSA is ready, set, go once we have the green light to come out of hiding!
Due to our current state of emergency with the coronavirus, we hope to
gather for an exciting event as we come together to celebrate
a wellness awakening and a new way of doing business.
With the FSA Taskforce in place, we are dedicated to uniting and providing education
for our Florida Spa Community to reconnect with our
Vendor Partners and our Florida Spa Leaders.
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FSA VENDOR PARTNERS
Well wishes and many thanks to all our supporting FSA Vendor Members that continue
to work with our Florida Spa Community year after year.
We stand together and together we flourish!
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Let "THE SOURCE" be with you!
Enter
"THE SOURCE"
, on the FSA website.
Education & Resources is our priority!
"The Source" was created to be your platform for resources and up to date information
to stay ahead of the curve of everything happening in the spa industry!
BEST SPA ASSOCIATION SERVING FLORIDA SINCE 2009!
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CONTACT US
The Florida Spa Association
Phone: (561) 413-5843
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ABOUT US
Florida Spa Association network of spa professionals is unified by the desire to promote Florida as the finest destination for wellness and beauty experiences in the country.
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