CLEVELAND — The pandemic caused many people to feel lonely and isolated. Now that places are opening back up, a new women’s resource network called On Purpose 86400 is helping women take back control of their lives — women like Cindy Newman, who gained the nickname PVC amid the pandemic.
“Post Vaccination Cindy. Once I was vaccinated, I felt safe to go out and do things,” said Newman.
Although she laughs about the nickname now, she struggled a lot during the peak of the pandemic when Ohio was on lockdown and her friends played a big part in getting her through it.
“I don't know how I would have gotten through the pandemic without them. It's gonna make me cry,” said Newman. “Checking in with texts. We did Zoom calls, you know, every month or so just to check in on everybody.”
She understands the importance of having a support system and On Purpose 86400 is helping her reconnect with hers.
“I think there's still fear. Some people I know feel lost,” said Newman. “They don't know how to get back out there. I know some people are uncomfortable going out. So I think knowing that someone's going to be here with you, sitting here with you, talking with you, you know, saying it's OK. I think that's important.”
Susan Priest Richlak is the founder of On Purpose 86400. She started the organization in January of 2020, right before the pandemic hit hard in Ohio. Last year was incredibly tough with many people facing challenges they never thought they’d have to face. Many people have faced mental health challenges, which Ricklak said gave her organization an even greater sense of purpose than before.
She wants to help women take the lessons they learned during the pandemic and live with intent.
“The pandemic really just put on a loudspeaker everything I've been saying all along, but now the world realizes it, companies see it, everybody knows that if we don't focus on ourselves and our well being we just can't sustain at that level, especially given what has transpired during the pandemic,” said Richlak. “When you're happy, then your family is happy. And then that can go on to friends and extended family, people you work with. If we take care of ourselves, it really makes the world a better place.”
Through private and corporate workshops, she helps women find a network, renew their purpose in life and find themselves again. She offers multiple workshops and each one is based around a different theme. Ricklak said she is always looking to collaborate with other organizations. A portion of participants' registration fee will sometimes go to charitable organizations. Her most recent event she was able to donate $150 to Donna's Christmas Trees.
“My goal is to really bring it down to things that they can learn in person that really make a difference when they go back to their regular lives, those tangible skills that yeah, this is fun, but we want to keep it going and bring that back into our daily living,” said Richlak. “We like to look at the whole life circle. So there's personal well-being, financial independence, our home and family, relationships, and connections, and habits and values. So we do really a series of workshops, where we touch on a little bit of that life circle at each event.”
She calls it self-care with a twist. At each event, participants can be found laughing with mimosas in hand, meeting new people and finding their mantras.
“We do it in a fun party-like atmosphere so that people want to come back and they take the time for themselves to learn and grow,” said Richlak.
She helps women all over Ohio look at life through a new lens and guides people like Newman to live in the moment and appreciate the now.
“[It’s] like putting the oxygen mask down, you gotta put it on yourself before helping others. So I think that's what On Purpose 86400 helps us do,” said Newman.
For more information on upcoming events or workshop offerings, click here.