This wasn't the post that I had planned for today. Not in the slightest, however sometimes things arise in life that are beyond our control and one of those is impacting Canadians from coast-to-coast right now.
As things stand at the moment, it is exceedingly likely (to the point of almost being a given) that Canada Post, our country's national postal system, will go on strike or lockout from tomorrow onward.
Rumours of such began to swirl around recently and when the local post office employees confirmed them to us in late June, we knew that things had become deeply seriously. This strike (or lockout) will mean a complete and total ceasing of Canada Post's services.
This in turn will result in no mail being able to be sent or delivered inside or out of the country.
{A sight we won't be seeing again on Canadian soil for, as things appear now, at least a few weeks time - the delivery (or sending out) of any mail from Canada Post. 1940s image source.}
As a result, like many other online Canadian small business owners, this means that (as things like courier services are out of the question price wise, especially in relation to the modest average transaction totals from my shop) I have pretty much no choice but to - for the first time ever - temporarily put my Etsy shop into Vacation Mode until the strike is over.
Effectively, "Vacation Mode", as Etsy calls it, allows my store front, sans listings, to still be visible. However, as no listings are shown, customers cannot purchase items for the time being.
After a somewhat slow (minus certain periods) spring, much as with that of 2015, I was incredibly eager to embrace the summer and hopefully see an increase in sales, which has happened during that season for the past two years.
We don't know for sure how long the strike will last. Some sources are saying it could be 3 - 4 weeks, others have mentioned the possibility of it running into August or even September. Strikes by their very nature are an uncertain thing and we, as the public, are simply at the mercy of the postal system and the Canadian government for this one.
My shop will remain in vacation mode until the strike lifts, at which time, I will resume normal business - complete with many new listings.
The mail itself however, will have a large backlog and that will take several weeks for Canada Post to work its way through, so even after the strike is over, online businesses will continue to feel the impact of this summer pause in normal postal speeds and services.
While I will be heavily impacted from an economic standpoint because of this strike (my shop is not a hobby for me; it is a full-time business and a vital part of my income), in a lot of other ways, it will still be life as usual when it comes to operating my Etsy store.
Though I can't sell online at present, I can still source and photograph items, and draft listings, all of which I certainly plan to do during this time.
I'm a million miles away from happy about this strike and how it will impact my business and income alike, but I've always been the sort to try and look for the silver lining in life and that's what I'm going to do here.
I'll rejig my usual work schedule a bit and focus even more on the blogging side of things, while perhaps also allowing myself a (*gasp!*) day or two off - at least when my birthday rolls around on the 10th of this month.
Oh, and today as well, which speaking of birthdays, just happens to be Canada’s 149th! (Believe me, the irony of a Canada Post strike potentially starting the day immediately after Canada Day itself is not lost on me.)
{Happy birthday wishes to Canada, eh! Home of stunning landscapes, Mounties, moose and bear a plenty, countless doughnuts and hockey sticks, and one of the loveliest, safest and most beautiful countries you could ever hope to encounter. Vintage Image source.}
Going beyond the sudden and very disruptive impact of this postal strike (which I know will impact/hurt many other Canadians as well - and that, of course, there is an impact on postal workers themselves, too), June was a pretty rough month for me due to some extremely stressful and emotionally painful family related situations, that I can't go into further detail about due to their extremely private nature (Tony and I are both fine, please do not worry).
As well, my health had some ups and downs (in no small part due to said personal life issues), and the abundance of rain started to take a toil on me, too, from a mood perspective.
I usually enter July in high spirits and with recharged batteries, so to speak, but this time around, I just want to find a couple of shady trees, string a comfy hammock and recoup for the next two months.
No dice, I'm afraid, but I will be going easy(ier) on myself for a while, as I continue to deal with the emotional impact of June's events and the stress of this postal strike alike.
Life will always throw curveballs, challenges and upsets our way. For better or worse, such is unavoidable. What we do have, at least to a degree usually, is some say in is how we opt to respond to and deal with these surprises and stresses.
I've never been one to shy away from a challenge or to let the universe get the better of me, so I'm going to gather my proverbial lemons and make so much lemonade, I might just have to set up a stand on the front yard and keep my selling skills at this sharpest this summer after all!
{Recent weeks have hit me hard, just as this summer's Canada Post strike will, but I'm holding my head up high and will soldier on. Making lemonade aplenty from each of these unexpected events. Vintage photo image source. }
I might not be feeling like (or making even a minute fraction of) a million dollars today, but the sun is shining, the birds are genuinely are chirping at this moment, and I've got a fun Canada Day themed outfit all lined up, so you know what?
It's all good.
Sooner or later the strike will be over, I'll have bounced back from June's difficulties, and we'll be looking fall, my most beloved of all the seasons, in the face once more.
First though, I've got my nation's birthday - and my own - to celebrate. Ice cold glass of lemonade firmly in hand, naturally.
Happiest Canada Day wishes to all my fellow Canadians and an amazing, fun filled start of July to all those elsewhere!
