To counteract the seemingly endless spiral of negativity swirling around everyone related to the coronavirus pandemic, it is important to reframe one’s thoughts about the situation. Several people I know have been tending to focus on what they cannot do because of quarantine but choosing to focus on what I now have the opportunity to do during quarantine is what has changed my life.
Prior to quarantine, I was commuting to and from campus a total of four hours per day. Now that I have gained four hours of my life back daily, I have the opportunity for self-care. I struggle with chronic depression, anxiety, OCD, and other health conditions that can seriously impede my daily life, and the beginning of quarantine really took a toll on me, as I could barely take care of myself. However, when I started to focus on what I have the opportunity to do now, my life drastically changed.
I realized that I have the opportunity to go vegan after being a pescatarian for nine years because now I have the time to cook balanced meals for myself. I now exercise daily and get a healthy amount of sleep. I have also been finally working through my past traumas with the help of my therapist. Journaling has been essential in that process. Not only do I write through my traumas, but I practice self-affirmation and gratefulness exercises. For self-affirmations, I write down things about myself and say that I love them, even if I do not yet. This has enabled me to improve my self-esteem and gain confidence. For gratefulness exercises, I write down whatever I feel grateful for. This allows me to get outside of my own head and makes almost any situation better for me, as it enables me to see that there are still positive aspects of life to look forward to and appreciate, no matter how terrible the situation.
The steps I have taken to improve myself during quarantine are written very neatly for the sake of this article, but keep in mind that this process has not been perfect and included its ups and downs. Nonetheless, I would not have been able to grow this much if it were not for having more time, and I am incredibly grateful for that because not only does it improve my quality of life, but it puts me in a position to better help others. Reaching out to loved ones and asking how they are and if there is anything I can do remotely to help them has become a habit of mine. I recognize that I am in a privileged position to have this outlook on quarantine and that so many people around me are struggling. If listening to their struggles and encouraging them to keep doing their best will help, then I am more than happy to do that.
That being said, if you are struggling, that is okay. A philosopher by the name of Andrew Feenberg pointed out that society’s technological economy often upholds efficiency rather than the health of people. This is also true for the social realm of society in that the value of a human being is often placed on how much one does or accomplishes. Because of this, oftentimes, especially now, people feel guilty for not being productive enough, even though they are struggling to take care of themselves. Whether you get everything done on your to-do list or nothing done, you are enough, and you are valid. You are worthy of all the self-love, love, respect, health, and safety that you require. Keep in mind that no one is perfect and that everyone has good days and bad days.
So, be patient with yourself. Try to reframe your thoughts about the time you have now to do something positive for yourself that you have wanted to do for a long time and reach out to someone who you know is struggling with either mental or physical health. You might just end up very pleased with how the results of taking such gentle steps to improve your life and the lives of others can positively affect yourself and the world around you.