Maya Shokor, Co-founder of Pink Attik, Interior Architect

@maya_shokor @pinkattik

How are you living your lockdown?

I think each and every one of us can agree on that it’s a very difficult question to answer. Some days, I can’t feel happier that we are going through this lockdown and that I have the free time to finally do all the things I had on my to-do list. I am studying Korean, experimenting with my cookie recipes and actually getting ahead on my work related to Pink Attik. So, it’s great. But then you have those dark days, where nothing makes sense and you just miss your friends and your previous routine. It’s a positive and a negative experience at the same time, and I feel like it’s going to shape us in the near future.

From your active life, what do you miss the most?

As cliché as it may sound, but I miss my gym. I miss my proper training routine, my squats, my deadlifts and my heavy weights. Gym for me was an escape, escape from the chaos of the outside world and even escape from my work. The two hours I spent there were like therapy. Contradicting to that, I found myself enjoying my home workouts more than I had anticipated to.

What don't you miss?

The rush. That’s the thing I do not miss. The idea of not having to rush to any appointment is very fulfilling, the idea of being late gave me a lot of anxiety before. And I feel like I have all the time in the world now. And that gives me a peace of mind.

How do you think life will be after Corona?

Another hard question. On a personal level, I will appreciate my friends and my loved ones more. I took a lot of the things they did for me for granted. Now, I just want to see them and give them the biggest hug I can give. Who would have thought that we will be missing hugs the most?

As for the business side, I think since my work, the second-hand shop PINK ATTIK, is all online the lockdown helped it to flourish more. Since most of the physical shops are closed, the online experience has helped a lot of people to shop from the comfort of their own homes. And that is the future, everything is going to be done remotely.

A word of encouragement to our readers

I am not that great with my words, so here is one of my favorite quotes:

YOU ARE NOT OUT OF TIME.

THIS IS STILL A BRAND NEW DAY.

AFTER ALL OF YOUR MIDNIGHT WORRY.

MORNING LIGHT IS ON THE WAY - MHN

A project I am currently working on

If you are into Sustainability and Second-hand shopping, then you should definitely check out www.pinkattik.com . Elsa Osta and I founded the very first second-hand online shop in Lebanon around May last year, to encourage people to think about their shopping choices and to shop second-hand instead.