Things that keep me sane during the COVID-19 epidemic

If you are struggling these days, know that everyone else is. The new reality is that our lives have changed quickly and even drastically recently, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. I don’t have to tell you that these are scary and unprecedented times for the vast majority of us, having never before dealt with such events. It’s been hard on everyone.

Via this page, I want to formally thank everyone who’s been fighting and/or helping during these times, starting with the healthcare workers, grocery stores staff, delivery persons, and everyone working behind the scenes to keep things going for us - I can’t imagine the sacrifice it takes. I have been moved to tears on several occasions by videos and stories of their work and generosity.

With the news, the rapidly climbing numbers worldwide, and everything else coming our way, we’ve all felt overwhelmed at one point or another, and it’s needless to say that it has affected our mental health and our well-being.

It saddens me that there are still people who don’t take this seriously enough, as we’re convinced more and more that the only way to beat this virus is by staying home and practicing social distancing.

I understand that our lives have come to a halt, and we’re not used to it being this way, but, at the end of the day, it’s such a small ask of us to stay home and away from each other, especially when doing so can save the lives of our dear ones and beyond. For these reasons, we should not have a problem with following these guidelines.

These thoughts, along with everything else described above have taken a toll on me too. From affecting my sleep, and my state of mind with invoking a paralyzing fear and sadness, I was having trouble functioning properly for a few weeks - my husband and I have been isolating since the beginning of March.

With a very uncertain future and a stark reality, I was feeling helpless and overall depressed. I was trying to read and follow my own advice, but it wasn’t working. So I stopped fighting it. I allowed myself to grieve a few days, until I’ve come to the realization that, personally, we have nothing to complain about. We are healthy, we have a roof over our heads, we are safe at home, our families are healthy, and we aren’t starving. When I began counting my blessings and think of us as being lucky, my whole mindset has changed. I am not ignoring what’s going on around me, and the suffering of so many, however, allowing it to eat at me would help absolutely no one.

I have to admit that by applying the above, so far this week I have had a much more positive state of mind, and I feel much better overall. While what I’m doing is nothing revolutionary, I wanted to share that with you, in case you need a reminder of the good in your life.

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Some of the things we’re doing are:

We stopped TRYING to be productive. Rarely does forcing anything work. So we allowed ourselves a few days to not work and admitted that we needed a break. Instead, we watched mindless, silly (sorry, yes, I said silly) movies like Trolls, Bridget Jones Diaries, The Holiday, etc - the over-the-top, cliche drama, and the cheer in them has brought plenty of distraction and disconnect from the reality. Also, I highly recommend watching Christmas-themed movies - there’s something about them that puts you in a different mood. I know not everyone can do the same, but please, listen to your body.
We stopped being constantly connected to the news. While I still keep an eye on the numbers and quickly scan through headlines once or twice a day so we’re somewhat up to date, we no longer watch the news or consume every article that comes our way. It’s made such a difference!
Watching silly animal videos online. Do I have to elaborate on that?
Playing with our landlords’ pup. If you’re lucky enough to have a pet in your life, take advantage of and embrace their playful, mischievous side, it will bring you joy in no time.
Wearing pretty, comfortable dresses. As shallow as it may sound, taking care of ourselves, or even putting on something nice can change our moods for the better as well - even if you have (and that should be the case) nowhere to go. For comfort, I choose natural fabrics like cotton or linen; ever since being in the hot and humid climate of Florida, I prioritize these fabrics even more. While I’m not currently shopping, these are the dresses I’m eyeing.

Outfit details: old Universal Thread linen dress, similar here and here; favorite espadrilles here; similar sunglasses here

Walks outside, in the fresh air, while respecting social distancing rules of being at least 6 feet away from other people. Since experts say that even if we are asymptomatic, we could still be carrying and spreading the virus, I have zero desire to be near anyone (other than my husband with whom I already spend my time 24/7 - nope, not sorry about it). However, moving and getting some fresh air can do wonders both physically and mentally, so we try to prioritize daily walks.
Still working on our photography skills. Practicing a hobby that brings us joy is important, and we have been working on ours. Going through the photos and notice the details we wouldn’t otherwise is one of the highlights of our day, and honestly, it feels pretty great to see progress.