It has been over three months. Yeah, three months since the extreme community quarantine in the Philippines started. Who would have thought that everything could change in instant? Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, everything has changed drastically. Most of the public places had to close, travel leisure had to stop for an indefinite time, going out became very limited, and even concerts and other social events needed to be stopped as well.
Unfortunately, even some people had to stop working in offices and such. Everything had stopped operating normally. Apparently, this ongoing pandemic has changed our daily lives dramatically. Fortunately, this COVID-19 has taught me and made me realize a lot of things about life.
Gone are the days. You miss hanging out. You keep longing for the days when the only thing that comes to mind is how to enjoy the outside life. Going to malls, bars, fine-dining or even fast-food restaurants, live concerts, and different social events, and such. Apparently, that’s how your life went on before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Unfortunately, we had to stop doing these things in the meantime. Indefinitely. In order to combat the spread of the coronavirus, we had to stay home and our access outside has gotten limited. What else could we do? There is nothing we can do but to follow orders from the government. That is to keep everyone safe from the deadly virus. Self-quarantine is a must.
On the other hand, self-isolation at home is undeniably giving us anxiety and stress. I know how difficult it is to be stuck at home which sometimes makes us overthink and keeps us think negatively. This has been obviously a huge adjustment for each and everybody. But I do believe that there is always beauty in chaos. Despite this pandemic, there are so many things that I have learned and realized from being in quarantine.
Things that COVID-19 Has Taught Me
As an outgoing person, it has been tough for me to stay home longer. I wouldn’t deny that it really gave me a lot of stress and made me feel a little depressed. However, I realized that I shouldn’t be too affected by the current situation. I needed to take care of my mental health. So here are the things that COVID-19 has taught me.
Appreciate more the people around you.
Before the pandemic hit the world, I admit that I tend to take things of granted. I took advantage of meeting my loved ones and closest friends.
Truth to be told, I was very comfortable near them and failed to notice the importance of every moment that I had spent with them. Now that the pandemic has restricted us to meet each other, I miss everything about them. The moments we’ve had and the things we’ve done together make me feel very emotional every time I look back on those moments.
With that being said, I have realized that we should never take things for granted. No matter how comfortable we are within a certain situation. Always make your loved ones feel that they are loved by you. Never be afraid to show them how much you love them.
Learn to love yourself more.
In times of crisis like this, it is very significant that we concentrate more on our physical aspect but most importantly, on our mental health. As I mentioned above, as for everybody (including me), this drastic change that COVID-19 has totally had a huge impact on our lives. Depression, anxiety, anxiousness, uncertainty – everything that bothers our minds could really affect our perspective and way of living. It is sickening and yet, if it can’t be controlled, it may lead to something even worse.
In this case, we must learn more about how to take care of ourselves. As much as possible, we have to make ourselves busy in order to drive away those negative thoughts on the mind. How about doing those things you have never done before? Have you ever finished a book before? Tried cooking a new recipe? Learned how to knit? If not, you can learn other things that include self-love such as how to put makeup on, how to fix your hair or learn more about fashion.
Never forget how to self-love. This is the greatest responsibility that you could do yourself. You need to learn how to do a favor for yourself. That’s how you get healed, get treated, and get freed from negativity. This is definitely one of the best things that COVID-19 has taught me.
Expand your knowledge.
Staying home for a long period of time could be one of the most boring things to do ever, most especially if you are not even a homebody. Nevertheless, this self-quarantine period should not stop you from doing something new. It should never become a hindrance to being productive! You must never stop learning. Expand your knowledge. Nowadays, there are a lot of things that can be done online and can learn from it. Why not start enrolling in one of those? Or start watching educational videos that would enrich your mind. There is always an opportunity for you to learn something new every day even you are just at home.
As much as possible, always try to make your day a day to learn something interesting and useful. What you learn today might be very practical in the future.
Start a healthy diet.
Talking about a healthy diet. I used to consume the most fast food before this COVID-19 pandemic. It used to be like almost every day. My friends and I loved eating at different kinds of restaurants. We couldn’t stop ourselves from consuming a lot of fast food. No exercise involved, either. In addition to that, I used to be a couch potato. I loved sitting, moving a lot at home, walking further, and working out. I felt like I was really an unhealthy person. But when this pandemic hit us, I decided to learn about a healthy diet. Why? Firstly, I had nothing else to do. Secondly, I wanted to become healthier. Obviously, getting sick nowadays is such a terrifying matter to be dealt with.
I cut down on fast food and started working out from home. It was truly challenging for me. These are the things I haven’t considered doing for myself. But a lot of things have changed since then. And so have I. It might be weird to say this, but thanks to this self-quarantine period, I have learned how to be more responsible for myself. Honestly, I am still adjusting myself to this new activity, but I know am coping up with it.
Working out can really help you a lot improve your mood. It definitely helps you relieve stress.
Live a simple life.
After being home for a long time, I realized that I had missed out on a lot of things while I was too busy traveling to many places and hanging out with friends. I failed to see and even took advantage of the little things inside our house. Yes, I admit. I didn’t really see the good things about staying home and being with my family.
Due to COVID-19, I have come to the realization that family is the most important that you could have in life. Family is everything. Through ups and downs, there is no doubt they will always be there by your side. Sadly, I was so caught up with chasing my own dreams and focusing on bigger things than appreciating the little things in life. I have eventually learned that most of the little things that give value to our lives can be found at home. Furthermore, I learned to appreciate more a simple life. That luxury means nothing at all.
How about you? Is there anything that COVID-19 has taught you?
Latest Posts:
- Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia for 7 Days: A Solo Travel Guide
- Exploring Indochina: The Ultimate Backpacking Guide
- 3D2N DIY Solo Travel Guide to Pattaya, Thailand: A Quick Escape from Bangkok
- How to Turn Your Travel Memories into Lasting Treasures
- 6-Day Japan Itinerary for First-timers: Osaka, Nara, Kyoto, Shirakawa-go
Read Next:
Hey, my name is Ara Patria—a solo female traveler who is in her quest of traveling the world. I write and learn about life through the lenses of my camera, personal experiences, and adventures. Join me as I unravel the mystery of life through exploring the wanders of the world.
){kind=link}