Interviewed by Dr. Shellie Hipsky Photograph by Juhi Sharma

DR. SHELLIE

Neeta, you live right outside of the epicenter of Hobokin, New Jersey. What are your feelings on what’s happening in the world during Covid-19 right now?

NEETA

These are definitely unprecedented times that we’re living in right now, and obviously there’s a lot of anxiety everywhere. This is a true crisis which is so unfortunate, but I do believe that there is some goodness at the end of it. There are some learnings for all of us. I’m originally from India, so I talk to my parents back home because we’re all reaching out to our loved ones through technology.

It’s kind of bringing us closer together even though we’re social distancing. Right here where I live, every day at 7 pm we all stand at our windows or balconies and we just clap. And we just look at each other and we just smile, compassionately. And so even though we’re doing that 6 feet, social distancing, we’re all in it. We actually are so much closer to each other than we ever felt before.

DR. SHELLIE

That’s beautiful. Did you know all your neighbors before or are you now just getting that smile that maybe you wouldn’t have gotten before?

NEETA

I did not know all of my neighbors before, and some of my neighbors have actually left town. Either they’ve gone to their parent’s house or they’ve gone to their second home, but there is this lovely lady on my floor. I live on the fifth floor in my building, and I knew she would fit into the senior citizen category. With all of this going on, I’ve been checking on her. I found out her name, got her number, and reached out to help because she’s part of a vulnerable population. I wouldn’t have typically done that. So, you’re right it is definitely like checking on neighbors and we’re smiling more at each other.

DR. SHELLIE

What other insights have you had about yourself since you’ve been in this quarantined state of mind lately?

NEETA

When it all started, my knee-jerk reaction was to get into survival mode, take one hour at a time because I have a toddler. He’s going to be three. He has a lot of energy, and he’s confined within these walls and I was like, “Oh my gosh. How am I going to manage this?” My husband is working, and I’m trying to get stuff done. But, I took a course once and the instructor asked one question that really challenged my mindset at the time. The question was, “How can you make this obstacle the greatest thing that’s ever happened to you?” I remembered that question and realized this is an opportunity. Maybe for some people, they focus on their relationship with their partner.  Or, this is such a good opportunity to go inward, to deepen the introspection. It could be finding your life’s purpose. For others I could be spending more time with your children. And others it could be making your marriage work or maybe getting out of a marriage that is toxic. It could mean something so different and meaningful for all of us. What I’m really getting out of this situation is that it’s not so bad being stuck at home.

DR. SHELLIE

You seem like a very positive person. Are you always a positive person or have you had moments during this that you just let yourself kind of break down and have that good cry?

NEETA

I’ve always been a glass half-full kind of person since I was a young girl. Sometimes I was maybe a little impractical and not really realistic because I was always looking at things through glasses that were a bit too rose-colored. I do have moments where I am pessimistic and sometimes that pessimism is really more towards myself. That is why I have to catch my inner self-talk.

DR. SHELLIE

Absolutely. So, tell us how you are keeping your holistic health business going during these times? How have you had to pivot your business?

NEETA

My clients are challenged right now to make time for their health and wellness goals because they’re either homeschooling or they’re taking care of their little ones. It’s definitely impacted my business, but when I think of the upside, even in these unfortunate times, the focus on building a strong immunity is really taking care of yourself. Maybe even focusing on more resting, recovery, and sleep, and slowing down the pace. I think that there’s been an automatic realization and shift towards health and wellness, which I think is a must needed move, even in corporate America. So, one of the things I intend to do with my company “Her Shakti” is to tap into corporate wellness. With corporate wellness perks, they often give discounted gym memberships —but now employees are not even able to go to the gym. So, how do you keep your employees moving and healthy and have wellness on top of their minds? In some ways, I think at the end of this that there will be more openness to focusing on your health and wellness.

DR. SHELLIE

That sounds amazing. Can you give us three tips, Neeta, that will help with staying healthy and well during the quarantine?

NEETA

The first tip is focusing on immunity. We need to support our immunity, maintain it, and nourish it. It goes beyond our supplements and popping vitamin c, vitamin d, and zinc. We must take time to exercise, and then recover, rest, and sleep.

The second tip is to exercise.  Although we’re stuck at home and it’s hard to go to the gym, and in some places like where I live it’s hard to even go for a walk or a run now that the weather’s getting better, the good part is a lot of gyms, large and small, are offering either on demand or live lessons. So if you can work with your roommates or partners to give you the time and space to do that workout, it can be a mutually beneficial situation where you’re getting a workout and you’re also supporting the small business owners in your local town.

The third tip is to eat in a healthy way. When I went shopping, I noticed what people were stocking up on in their grocery carts. I looked around, and I was surprised at some of the processed foods that people think they can’t live without. It was interesting to see what was essential to these people and a little surprising. Nobody teaches us how to read food labels, so there are a lot of hidden ingredients that may not be good for our bodies. Even though we are not able to make that many grocery store trips, we can still buy good vegetables and fruits that can stay a long time in the refrigerator. Strive for balanced, healthy meals during this time.

DR. SHELLIE

Do you have any words of inspiration to get us to the light at the end of the tunnel with this virus and to help people stay well during this time?

 NEETA

Most of us are thinking, “I just want to get through this,” and, “When is this going to be over?” I want people to think (and this goes for me too!) “How am I going to thrive and how am I going to show up in this world at the end of this?” What can you do to thrive today? Whether it’s eating well, working on your resume for a job change, or getting some good knowledge or some new skills, figure out how you want to show up in this world. Focus on your end result of how you want to be on the other side of this and go for it!

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Dr. Shellie Hipsky is the CEO of Inspiring Lives International, the President of the non-profit 501(c)(3) the Global Sisterhood, and the Editor-In-Chief of Inspiring Lives Magazine. She was deemed “Inspirational Woman of the Month” in Inspirational Woman Magazine and a “Luminary Author” for Inspire Me Today. She earned "Woman of Achievement," “Entrepreneur of the Year in Inspiration and Empowerment,” and “VIP Woman of the Year” and was also a 2015 National Professional Woman’s Association’s “Woman of the Year” and the "2013 Best Business Woman in Pittsburgh” by the Women’s Small Business Association. A former professor of the Global Perspective at the Ph.D. Level for over a decade, she is a proven expert on what she teaches and keynotes events around the globe. Her internationally best-selling Common Threads trilogy provides Inspiration, Empowerment, and Balance based on 100 amazing interviews from her Empowering Women Radio. Dr. Shellie’s latest book, illustrated by her 10-year-old daughter Alyssa, is Hopping off on a Business Trip: the first in her The World is Ours series for children. She is currently writing her 12th book, Woo Hoo! Brand You! through Morgan James Publishing. Dr. Shellie continues to share quality time with her family while helping to inspire the world!