Let’s Talk Quarantine

To say that these are strange and frightening times for most of us is to say the least. For the first time in my entire life, I feel as though the world is within reach. This is so because of the current climate we are in. The Coronavirus serves as a reminder that we are all human no matter the class or creed we belong to. This deadly virus is not a respecter of any being, its fatal warfare against the human race has allowed us all to reflect on our lives and what we want the rest of our days here on earth to look like. This entire situation has demonstrated that we are all mortal at the end of the day and none of us is more important than the next. It feels as though the world is moving in unison for the first time, as we see countries implementing similar safety measures. The top ones being social distancing/quarantine.

These are very new concepts for most of us. As a lot of people strive on the idea of socializing. Being quarantined and closed off from the outside world has taken a toll on all of us mentally, physically and emotionally. Though some persons are able to manoeuvre these very scary times without great efforts, there are others who are genuinely struggling to keep it together. I happen to fall somewhere in the middle of the two. There are days when I feel like I can do anything and that being quarantined for over 2 months now is not so bad at all. Other days I feel as though my entire world has come to an abrupt end and I am drowning in a sea of emotions. So, imagine my level of annoyance when I scrolled through my Instagram and came across a particular post that says “if you don’t come out of this quarantine with a new skill, your side hustle started or more knowledge. You never lacked time, you lacked discipline.” I found this to be a bit insensitive, to say the least. Persons are dealing with real issues associated with this virus and I do not believe the added pressure to prove one's efficiency is needed. I do believe we need to be more sensitive to the content we put out there and what we promote especially in this climate.

Understand that everyone deals with crisis differently and while other people are using this time to birth ideas and are thriving it is perfectly fine if all you can accomplish is to make it out of this with your mental health still in tack. Personally, this has been really hard on my mental health so therefore keeping sane is my number one priority. For me, that means there are days when all I do is lounge around and watch TV. Other days I’m very productive: I write, I workout, spend time with God and the list goes on. Balance has been a major key to surviving these very trying times another has been my relationship with God. I am learning to go at my own pace, I some days look at my husband and envy the way he is able to dive into his hobbies and interests during this time and I get overwhelmed just thinking I should try to be more like him. He is definitely one of those persons who thrive in these kinds of situations. He gets lost in work and structures his days in ways where he is extremely productive. He takes this time to learn new things or to put into practice things that he had already learnt. While I am very much proud of him, I still have to live my truth and so do you. Do not buy into the foolishness that’s on the internet. Do not allow anyone to make you feel less than you are worth simply for handling this pandemic differently from them. This is a REAL crisis that we are living in, not everyone can turn a blind eye to it and function as normal. Allow yourself to navigate this experience at a pace that will not overwhelm you.

While I do want you guys to try to be productive and to use this time wisely. I encourage you to find your balance and live your truth. Your mental health is far more important than anything else. People are dying daily some of us have been personally affected by this very deadly virus and can’t afford to spend time dreaming up business ideas because we are just trying to make it to the next day while thinking of ways to provide for our families. Whatever your position might be at this time I implore you to find your inner peace and maintain good mental health. Move when you can, as exercise is very important in improving mental and physical health. On the days when you are able: explore a hobby or that dream you buried far in the back of your mind. Relax and do nothing when you need to, catch up on a series, pray and read your Bible. Develop a relationship with God. Reach out to someone you trust if you need to talk about how you are coping. All in all, do not fall victim to trying to keep up with other people and their expectations, no two people are the same. Be you, do you and stay safe!

Special thanks to all the essential workers, you guys are the real superheroes in all of this.

Isaiah 26:3

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.