The global pandemic that shook the world was a tragedy for many, and a plain and simple disruption for others.

Saying that there is a way to put a positive spin on the pandemic is not to devalue the struggles and hardships that many have faced, but rather to shine a little bit of light on what may have made some days bearable. In a bustling world that never sleeps when everything everywhere came to a stop, there was more than a little bit of panic. But how unique of an opportunity is that? For once, nobody had anywhere to be and nothing to do. Instead of letting that circumstance make me feel like a sitting duck, I tried to find ways to transform the experience into a little getaway from the real world. Self-care is a word that most everyone has heard and it’s usually in reference to doing a face mask, and deciding not to do anything all day. But during quarantine, I found a way to flip that term into a lifestyle. 

Caring for yourself doesn’t have to mean working out everyday or cutting all sugar and junk food out of your diet or going to therapy. It can be as simple as finding a few minutes everyday to find some sort of stillness within, and become more aware of your surroundings. Throughout the 3 months, I found activities that I could do that ended up making me feel physically, emotionally, and mentally rejuvenated every single day. Now that quarantine has officially been lifted, and life is beginning to go back to some sort of normal, I continue to do these things each and every day. My definition of self-care is now anything that helps you remind yourself that you’re worth an extra 2 or 3 hours each and everyday, and you deserve to feel good inside and outside because with an empty cup you cannot help fill others. 

The 2 or 3 hours I take for myself each day consist of a workout to release some extra endorphins, and then a full yoga practice to calm the mind and bring everything back to balance. Working out looks different for everyone, and I’ll never be a personal trainer but one thing I will forever rave about is the benefits of yoga. I have completed two 30 day yoga journeys with an online instructor on YouTube and recently started another one. The difference between my internal state, where my thoughts go when I’m relaxing, and my mood is extremely evident. Meditation is something everyone should give a try, and it may turn out to not be your thing but even if you’re not into frequencies and yoga poses you can still take the time to enjoy peace and silence which everyone loves for a few minutes. This pandemic has brought many hard things to our front door, but it also gave us the time to look within ourselves. Quieting that voice inside of yourself, taking the time to heal those internal wounds, and making introspection a daily practice is anything but easy. Yet just like everything else with practice comes an ease and then it can start to be fun. Taking the time to honor yourself and those small victories is essential to living life like there is no tomorrow. This pandemic showed me that slowing down is okay, and sometimes it’s exactly what you need.