“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.- Maya Angelou
We didn’t know it at the time but life was really good and we definitely took many things for granted. Fast forward to a month later and that has all changed. Well more like the COVID-19 virus changed everything and no we all were not prepared for the impact it has made into our life.
We thought this virus would go away but the reality of being quarantine for weeks, maybe even months is becoming a hard reality.
Week 4 is about to end and I realized that I will be quarantined for a month… a freaking month!
Even though the corona virus has brought many negative aspects into our lives, there are good things that I have learned while being stuck at my house.
Quality Time
We tend to take time for granted. Our excuse is always, “I’m busy today but I’ll have time to do it tomorrow.” But what we don’t understand is that time waits for no one. During this time, I’ve picked up old hobbies, caught up with old friends through the phone and self-reflected. Don’t waste this time and use it wisely to do something productive while you still have the time to do it.
Stand Still
Sometimes we get so caught up in life that we miss the things that are truly important. The quarantine has given me the opportunity to slow down and just live in the moment. Since this started, I’ve been spending a lot of time outside and I’ve forgotten how amazing nature feels. Things like the wind brushing my face as I bike down the streets of my neighborhood, watching the clouds pass by as I lay down on the soft grass, or simply watching the sky change colors as the sun sets behind the trees and houses. It’s crazy to think I haven’t done any of these things for years when as a kid I use to do it every single day. Standing still is as peaceful as you can get in life but with the rush of our daily routines we tend to forget that. Now is a great time to practice being still and appreciate the small things in our life.
Grateful
I’m sure we can all say we took for granted many things before the pandemic disrupted our life. I know I did! From grocery shopping, eating at restaurants, hanging out with friends/family, singing happy birthday to a friend, being bored at work or even going to school. We took these and so many more things for granted…and now we miss them. I miss the normality that I had in my life…having a schedule that finally became my routine only for it to be taken away suddenly. But during this time, it has made me realize that I am grateful for many things and people in my life that I took for granted. So be thankful for all those things that made a small or huge impact in your life.
Better Yourself
I know a lot of us will come out a different person after this quarantine is over. In this sort amount of time, I’ve change little by little. Doing chores around the house was something I dreaded growing up but since the quarantine started, I’ve been doing it a lot more and have been complaining a lot less about it. I’ve tried to be less on social media since everyone is talking about the virus. To give myself a mental break from all of that, I picked up reading again and I’ve started to listening to podcasts that have had a good influence on me like Jay Shetty! Find something that makes you feel good and will help better yourself during this quarantine.
Family Time
As you guys know, my siblings and I are very close. But we’re all growing up and in the upcoming years we won’t have as much free time to do things together. During the quarantine, we have spend a lot of time doing activities together…some for our youtube channel and others just for ourselves. Ironically we brought back a lot our favorite childhood activities such as sidewalk drawing, jumping on the trampoline, biking, karaoke, dancing, playing video games, baseball, game night, movie night, and Nerf gun fights. I really didn’t think much of it until one night when we moved the sofas to dance in the living room and I just stepped back to take it all in. One day I’m not going to live in this house anymore and the opportunity to knock on their bedroom door to ask them to come grab food or play video games with me will no longer be there…and this is the time that will become memories that we will cherish. If you’re spending this quarantine with family and they’re driving you crazy…don’t take it for granted and spend as much time with them as you can because one day you might move away and it won’t be the same as living with them.
Reflection
Overall, I reflected a lot about everything. But to make this short, mainly about myself, where I am in life right now, and where I want to go. My priorities have shifted since I graduated from college and that’s okay but I realized that I have to put more effort than ever if I want to get to where I want to be in the next couple of years. I’m my worst critic when it comes to writing and that’s led me to not posting as much as I should but that’s going to change. I overthink a lot which leads to a lot of self doubting but I have to stop that or I’ll miss out on some great things. This period is a great opportunity to reflect on where you are in life…if you’re not happy with where you are in life, figure out what changes you can make to get to that happiness you seek. If you are happy and content with where you are in your life, that’s great but think about long term happiness and how you can achieve that.
A good friend of mine told me recently that it’s so crazy to think but a lot of people around the world know exactly how you’re feeling right now because we’re all going through the same thing. And that is so crazy but somehow comforting to know.
Whether we like it or not, we are all impacted by this virus and we will all come out a different person after this quarantine is over. But that all depends on your perspective about quarantine. Quarantine life can be hard but try to take something good out of this situation that will help you become a better person.
Our future is really uncertain right now but together we can get through this. Stay home and take in the time you have with your loved ones.
Love Always,
Lidia
P.S. Wash yo hands! Lol but seriously do it! 🙂
