Long time no write.

I guess a global pandemic would do that to you. It will make you rearrange your priorities and force you to realize what deeply matters. Such as spending every day you can with your family and loved ones, as well as keeping them safe so that you can have another day with them.

It’s no secret that the past year was a terrifying time; the world was uncertain about everything and I can only imagine how you might have been feeling with everything that was going on.

However (and trust me, it may be hard to believe), despite all that you may have gone through this past year, there is a “silver lining” (as thin as that silver lining may be).

There were so many unexpected and unintentional blessings that this pandemic brought. I’m going to list a few insights I learned (not in any particular order), and hopefully you can learn from them too:

1) Realize that you are not alone

Isn’t strange how when you are having a certain thought, emotion or experience, for some reason, your mind makes you feel like you’re the only going through this.

That no one else could possibly understand, and that your struggles are so unique. I hate to break it to you, but you’re probably not the only person that has been through what you’ve been through.

It’s unfortunate that you can relate to so many others through pain, but the beauty in that is that you are not on your own.

And better yet, you don’t have to go through it on your own. I think the pandemic did a beautiful job of reminding the world that you are more connected to everyone than you thought, and that there are so many ways you can find support in your darkest of times.

2) Your mental health is so important

Being a mental health advocate, I already knew this in theory and in practical knowledge. But wow, it is really completely different when you are forced to deal with your own mental health on a daily basis - in a time when you are consistently vulnerable and emotionally fragile.

I’m sure just like everyone else, quarantine forced into isolation - or “trapped” you with family members that you didn’t literally expect to spend every waking moment with. The blessing of going on to school and to work was that you were able to get a bit of a “break” from your family or that you were able to interact with different people everyday.

Quarantine took that from you, and made difficult for you to get that mental break from either being completely alone or from staring into the same people’s eyes day-in and day-out.

I understand - even as a moderate extrovert like myself, I needed a break from my family. So I made sure to prioritize my mental health by making and (sort of) sticking to a healthy sleep schedule, eating somewhat healthy and try to get outside to get some fresh air and to have some time to be alone.

3) Time is precious

This one should not be a surprising insight. I’m sure you or someone close to you has experienced and seen death in way that you never had before, and there’s no way of sugaring coating that.

But this concept that you need to take advantage of, and do you the things that are important! Not you feel like other people think are important, but what is actually important to you.

Spending more time taking care of your health (physical, mental, spiritual and emotional); spending time with your loved ones (people that you consider family, whether that means blood relatives or not); working to save up for your desired goals (whether to travel, start your own business, start your own family, etc.).

I want to stress again (no pun intended) that time is precious. So spend doing things that actually matter, specifically things that matter to you.

I hope you are doing well and hanging onto hope. I’m praying for you always!