There’s a reality many people are facing right now from COVID-19. It’s that our freedom is taken away. This could include the ability to go to work, or buy toilet paper from the grocery store. Or maybe, it’s that everyday is a mental breakdown waiting to happen. And, even if you heal from that day, the next day might feel even worse. This is a really uncertain and scary time for everyone.
But, there’s a lot of different ways to look at this pandemic and societies life and habits around it. You can make the decision change your habits and lifestyle, instead of dwelling on the (very) apparent negatives in the world right now. I wanted to share my newly positive perspective on the pandemic, in case others are feeling hopeless as I have been.
I’m not coming from a position to shame or judge anyone going through this pandemic. I’m dealing with my own struggles of trying to survive through this. Up until yesterday I haven’t been sleeping well and struggling to stay positive or happy. I’ve been scared to accept the pandemic will get worse and that I may not be able to see my family through any of this.
Yesterday was the second week of not being able to do what I wanted on my day off. It might sound really trivial, but it’s something that an important part of mental health.
Instead, I went grocery shopping and that was it. And, the entire time grocery shopping I was paranoid about people coming too close and that COVID-19 was on every product I touched. I applied six layers of hand sanitizer in just a few hours. And, I still couldn’t find flour or toilet paper.
Then, in the evening I broke a glass jar and instead of cleaning it up I laid on the ground. Don’t worry, I’m already laughing about it now.
What changed after that incident was that I started listening to Miley Cyrus’s new Instagram live series Bright Minded. It led me into an alternative narrative that I hadn’t heard yet. One that reminded me the whole world is going through this pandemic, it’s not just me and my own insecurities.
I’m not saying this entire time I didn’t think I was the only one going through the coronavirus pandemic. But, I felt in a uniquely lonely position by living abroad and dealing with the pandemic. Being in a foreign country with closed borders and limited ways to get home is stressful.
These past few weeks since the pandemic has been affecting Australia, I was living in a narrative that I didn’t want to be in. People have been turning on each other, and travellers. And people seem to be split in either understanding COVID-19, or completely in denial. It was hard to see an in-between.
Up until this week I wasn’t taking this pandemic seriously enough. In a way I wanted to go out while I could, knowing the coronavirus shutdown was much more severe in other countries, which would inevitably come to Australia. This sentiment halted when my work began to implement different practices.
The new practices at work have been backed by government and legal action throughout the country, also during this week. In response to this I’m less scared, and more thankful for going through this. I’m happy to be able to change my perspective on the pandemic. And, I feel empowered to make choices to prevent contracting or spreading COVID-19.
Previous to this woke feeling, I was living in a negative head space. Everyday I felt like something else was being taken away from me that I worked hard for, such as the ability to travel. I could only feel sad because that’s the only feeling that made sense.
Timing was a big contributing factor to my discipline of COVID-19. Assuming it wasn’t very serious, I believed businesses were only shutting down for a month. A new, a more realistic approach to the COVID-19 pandemic is to assume many businesses could be shutdown for at least six months. Deep breathe.
This doesn’t mean it’s a permanent change. It’s just another reason to live each day to the fullest, because no one can predict a pandemic. Be forgiving, humble, understanding and kind with yourself and others. This is how to get through a pandemic.
Coming back to what changed last night and Cyrus’s Instragram live video Bright Minded. In the beginning of this pandemic, instead of sulking, Cyrus took a proactive approach to help people get through it—and maybe even come out better. The live series interviews celebrities and speaks on mental health, how to deal with isolation and more.
If you’re not available to watch the series live, don’t worry, Cyrus has added all the episodes onto YouTube. The reason this series changed how I feel about this pandemic was from the human understanding of our basic needs, such as mental health.
I’ve lived a healthy lifestyle for most of my adult life, which includes eating well, staying active and social. When the COVID-19 pandemic got serious in Australia, I struggled to cope with the everyday surprises, that followed in sadness and distress. I started to ignore why it was important to sleep well and eat healthy.
Bright Minded walks viewers through self-healing and self-care during this time of distress. It’s exactly the talk I needed to remember it’s healthy to sleep well and appreciate what I have. While we can’t work hard to earn a meal out or a gathering with friends right now, we can appreciate what we have.
I believe this is finding peace in the unknown. I don’t know how long this pandemic will last for, or how it will affect me. But I’ll do my part to stay healthy and help others during this the pandemic in anyway I can. The point is to believe getting through this pandemic globally is an achievable goal.
Looking for some COVID-19 inspiration? Check out my complete van build or how to make a bug net for your van life. These are some good projects to stay busy while isolating!
