Pandemic Lesson – Re:Start

I can’t believe this is the first post of the relaunch. Well, I am doing all right during this pandemic. How about you? 

Just like many of you, I have been in self-isolation for almost 2 months now. Honestly, it is quite challenging for my mental health. But on the other hand, it is a break I needed for a long time. 

I am the kind of person who likes to keep myself busy every moment. Therefore, it is not an easy adjustment for me when everything stops running. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, I am trapped inside the house. I, at first, had no idea how to navigate my life. 

The fact that I cannot have any human contact with anyone scares me. I had a few anxiety episodes when I first knew I will not be able to see my friends and family for a long period of time. It’s true that I can still have video calls with people, but that feeling is very different than seeing them in real life. 

Before the pandemic, I liked to spend a lot of alone time inside my house so I thought I could adapt this lifestyle easily. However, this is not the case. In the past, I could go out whenever I wanted to but now, I don’t have the freedom to do so. Nowadays, whenever I go out to do groceries, I feel paranoid because I don’t know if I will have the risk of contracting the virus. 

Without a doubt, there are moments I feel powerless. But at the same time, I am doing something I have not done for a long time: a break to reset. 

I can’t say I sleep well every night, but this break is helping me to reset my mindset. No, I have not been reading any self-improvement books during this period. What I have been doing is relearning who I truly am by understanding what I need, my priorities and my values. Through this relearning phase, I also get to face my fears and doubts that are not properly dealt with when I was in the “go go go” mode. I feel like I am shedding some unwanted layers and about to transform to my next phase. 

In order to keep myself busy, I have created a few creative projects for Draw A Dot during this pandemic. My goal is to bring some love and positive energy to the community. I also wanted to encourage artists to be creative and let them know the community is here for them. To be honest, I was surprised by the positive response from the artists. Because of the response, I now have a clearer vision of my life path and the role I am playing in this world. It’s very rewarding when I see my followers are happy. That’s something you can’t buy with money. 

A lot of people assume I don’t like to cook, but this is not the case. The problem with me is I am not a particular patient person. When I want something, I want it right the way. When it comes to cooking, you have to be patient and follow the procedures, or else the dish will be ruined. I have always wanted to improve my cooking skills so this pandemic I have decided to pick up this hobby again. Aside from trying out new recipes, I also become calmer and happier. I now understand why people love to cook and share the food with others. That kind of joy is priceless. 

Just like many of you, I have a list of things I am looking forward to do once this pandemic is over and here are some of them: 

• Spend time with my family. I cannot wait. 
• Sit at a patio and enjoy the beautiful weather with friends. 
• Travel aboard to see people who I have been thinking a lot during this pandemic. 
• Spend an afternoon in front of the lake and enjoy the view.
• And yes, a haircut. I need it! 

Friends, I hope you are doing well and staying safe. Hopefully soon I will get to see you again!