Our Director's Open Letter To You (it gets pretty real)
It's been a really hard few months, well, year to be frank. I owe it to you, my wonderful flock, to be totally upfront and explain why you haven't heard a peep out of us in too long. By reading my letter I hope you can forgive me for having Caring Canary closed for the best part of the start of this year, and for doing so without much explanation. With lots of things going on I've found it very difficult to juggle all the balls that come with running a business (well, two including our sister boutique GIGI AUSTRALIA) as well as look after my personal life.
I'm going to be follow Brene Brown's lead and use the power of vulnerability here. Although it's extremely difficult for me to be so real with y'all, I owe it to you to be candid about why I chose to have the business closed, and why it's now time to re-open. I always strive to be an uplifting, positive and sunny force for you, whether it's choosing to post an inspiring Instagram quote when really my heart is aching, or responding to email enquiries from a chemo ward or oncologists waiting room, or helping a customer to curate a New Baby gift when I've just come home from my own disappointingly painful IVF appointment. It's time to now get real with you.
As some of you might know, my darling husband was diagnosed with a rare and terminal cancer about two years ago. At first I was able to 'soldier on' and used burying myself in my work as a coping strategy. I loved coming to work and processing your care package orders. It was therapeutic to write your lovely personalised cards and be privy to these heartfelt exchanges. It gave me hope and a sense of purpose, knowing I was helping to facilitate these meaningful connections between people. But all was not rosy at home. I was crumbling emotionally.
As my husband's side effects became increasingly worse, my heart was telling me to be with him and do whatever I could to bring some sunshine to his days. I couldn't keep up, I was burning the candle at both ends. Throw in the fact that we were embarking on a 9 month IVF journey that took way more of a toll on my body, and hormones/emotions than I had expected, I was at breaking point. At the end of last year, it all came crashing down. I broke down. I needed help. Running a business and dealing with the magnitude of my situation at home all became too much. I realised I needed to invest time in my own self-care, to ensure I could continue to be a caring and supportive wife, and also a happy and thriving owner. There was no point running Caring Canary if I wasn't in fact caring for myself.
Fast forward to May 2019 and I'm feeling way more on top of everything now. Having the business closed for those few months allowed me to get myself back on track, so that I can focus on serving you the best I can. I'm also very excited to announce that we have a brand new and improved website which I hope will make your Caring Canary experience all the more enjoyable.
From the bottom of my heart I thank you for your continued support and customership. I'm so looking forward to taking care of all your care package and gifting needs in 2019.
With gratitude,
Georgia xx