I want to talk about my experience of getting back to work during COVID. When the pandemic started, my industry like many others, was shut down. When I finally booked my first job back, I hadn’t worked for nine months straight. During the shutdown, I developed fears about returning to work; most importantly was the fear of COVID. As a makeup artist, my job requires me to be within 3 feet of someone’s unmasked face for a prolonged amount of time. The potential for infection is present, for both myself and whoever is in my chair. I wanted to protect not just myself but more importantly my talent. I don't know their situations - their health, who lives with them, if they provide care for any elderly. I didn’t want to jeopardize anyone’s health & safety. I developed other anxieties as well. I hadn't done hair or makeup on anyone in almost a year. Had I forgotten how to do my job? Would I remember all the knowledge & skills I had built up over my career? My biggest insecurity was that society had told me that my career was not essential & not important in the bigger picture of today’s world, where people were and still are dealing with and dying of COVID. All this worry led me to consider giving up makeup. Was it all worth the risks? I questioned not only my skill but also if my heart was still in it. I was privileged in that I was able to be choosy about when to start working again & I ended up booking my first jobs back with clients & crew that I had worked with for years prior. I knew that they took COVID seriously & would respect my new workflow. My safety protocols took some getting used to, but I was able to acclimate to my new working conditions quickly. I’ve realized that there are risks & there always will be, but I can take measures to mitigate them. With all my worries, I had forgotten how much I missed working & love what I do - connecting with others, helping people feel good about themselves, collaborating creatively. Getting back to work has helped me overcome fears and brought back some of the joys that the shutdown took away. If you’ve struggled with getting back to work during COVID, this post is for you. Please know you’re not alone.