10 LESSONS FROM THE PANDEMIC
What have you learned about yourself during Covid quarantine time? Did you have any idea just how many hours a day your dog slept before this event?
We have been on fairly strict quarantine rules in Washington since March. I have been on furlough from my job since April so I have had 9 months of my home study. No restaurants. No gyms. No parties, weddings or large gatherings. Our Governor would be proud of this household!
This is the longest period of my adult life that I have not been travelling or working a corporate job. I typically would travel every month and often for 1-2 weeks at a time so I was accustomed to being partially packed and busy most of the time.
Shortly after my last business travel to Miami Beach in March, I got the call. It is never a positive start when the call begins with the big boss (who has never called me directly) on the other end saying:
“You know, these conversations are never easy…”
Of course, this means sit down, doll. I have bad news. We may need to break up. Suddenly I felt like the school dance was on and my date was here to tell me he would be leaving with someone else…but don’t take it personal.
He continued with some blah, blah, blah and I all I heard was
“ …great employee and blah blah blah...and furlough for 30-45 days and you will be one of the first ones called back…”
That was 9 months ago. I get it times are rough and unpredictable. And I knew in that moment that furlough wouldn’t be a short one so I decided to just lean right on in to it. Somehow, this time would be positive for me. That was my first lesson of Covid.
Life can change instantly. Be prepared to tuck and roll.
I hung up from that phone call with a sinking feeling in my gut. I was a top producer for the company for 6 years and was cut along with about 90% of the staff. The hospitality industry has been massively affected as have so many industries. I knew my furlough would extend well beyond 45 days and could ultimately end in termination (which it still may) so Lesson 2 for me was…
Focus on what you can control.
I decided that day that this time would be an inspirational time for me somehow. Hey, I loved summer break as a kid, why can’t I do that now? I am fortunate to have a supportive husband and very low bills so we can manage comfortably. I didn’t have the terror that so many others have as they face bills without income. I know this and I am grateful. I did however have to come to grips with curbing my spending and getting creative with home life. I had to slow waaay down and get accustomed to just being home. It took a few weeks to adjust but I found that…
Slow living can be fascinating.
Like many people, the first few weeks of being home consisted of cleaning out closets and reorganizing every drawer. But eventually, I began noticing little things like how the sun pours into our living room at 10 am and the windows creek as the house warms up. I’ve mastered the art of making a perfect cappuccino and enjoying it during my morning journal writing as I notice wild bunny rabbits scurrying across our land. Suddenly there was time to enjoy every little moment. And I have found that…
Time is a luxury I can revel in.
And I have! The only alarm I have heard in 9 months is the oven timer telling me my dinner is ready. There has been plenty of time to chop vegetables, plan meals, clean up and relax. Ahhh…there has been plenty of time to enjoy hundreds of meals together and to celebrate every season.
Spring took on an entirely new meaning when I was actually in the garden every day planting and watching vegetables grow as opposed to rushing through the duties of watering and fertilizing between business trips. I feal a greater bonding with our land and as though I am conductor of a small orchestra which includes pansies, hydrangeas, turnips and peas.
I noticed how the sun moved throughout the day and all the advantages our property had naturally. I became a student of it all and felt a greater bonding with our acreage with this time to observe and just play in the dirt. I lived in overalls throughout the summer and experimented with our new vegetable garden. I found much more than I ever dreamed existed in our own yard.
Exploring your own backyard can be an adventure.
I also began venturing out more and onto the hundreds of trails we have around us. In the past, we have done many travel adventures but never had I looked at our area with wanderlust. Now I have and I do! I now have been to every park and on every trail within 40 minutes of our home. I have taken up mountain biking so the possibilities are endless on the Olympic Peninsula. I have done over 100 bike rides since quarantine and feel like I own a few of the trails I am on them so frequently. For me now a good day is when I have a long ride, time to read, and connect with the few people I cherish which brings me to my next lesson…
Those who keep in touch during a quarantine are your real people.
It is fascinating how work friends quickly melt away when you no longer a part of the work cycle. Yet a select group of friends and family have become more cherished as we make it a point to connect even when there is little to say. I have found that my dear confidants can be counted on one hand and that is enough.
Our conversations no longer revolve around current activities but have taken a richer tone as to how we are feeling and coping during this strange and uncertain time in our history. We share memories, photos, moments and connection to keep each other grounded. The phone calls and text traffic have slowed during the pandemic, yet the connections have grown more meaningful.
Life has become simplified.
With less choices of what to do since eating out and traveling is off the table – life has taken a simpler turn. We know we will be home today, tomorrow, and next week so we keep the fridge stocked. And we have had time to reorganize the pantry so I know exactly what we can have! I have learned to get incredibly creative with the ingredients we have on hand to avoid excessive trips to the grocery store. We have created a home routine that is relaxed, predictable but not boring. I have found that..
The little things make a difference.
Keeping the house clean. Having fresh flowers on our kitchen table. Noticing the weather changing and appreciating the sunrises and sunsets. Having the time to hang out with my dog in front of the fire, and an almost endless supply of time to read all those novels I have been accumulating. These are all those little things I failed to notice when I was so busy.
And now that I have had such an abundance of time, I realize that
I can let go of a lot.
I can let go of a lot of my clothes, gadgets and bucket list items. Lists of things I said I wanted to do ‘when I had enough time’. I now have the time and you know what? I realize I have no real desire to run a marathon. Good bye Ironman dreams! How did you ever get on my bucket list anyway? Geez, that one just made me feel like an underachiever every year.
So much of what I thought I needed or wanted seems unnecessary now. All the trips to Home Goods and ULTA I made pre-pandemic seem frivolous now. It’s funny but I found myself throwing out a lot of those items during these months.
With the vaccine on the horizon, I recognize I can’t live in yoga pants or biking shorts forever. But I have come to recognize that our home, dear friends and our health is enough. And that has been an inspiration.