How I've Been Dealing With Quarantine

It may be an unpopular statement, but staying home lately has improved my mental health tremendously. 

Before quarantine days, I was feeling extremely drained, unmotivated and out of touch with many things in my life. I felt like I was always living on fast forward without any real goals and I was struggling to identify my purpose. 

Purpose in the work I do (my 9-5 job), the platform I present (this blog), and the kind of person I want to be in general. 

I was really struggling. I was stuck in a constant rotation of wake up, go to work and come home to feel even more frustrated and not much further ahead. I enjoyed meeting up with friends and keeping my social life alive, but let’s face it; my best friend had been away since December, I felt extremely tired after every outing I would attend, and I couldn’t keep up. I would dread getting out of bed in the mornings and I felt like I had very little things to look forward to. Then, the pandemic happened. 

I immediately felt a shift in my mood during the first week of working from home. I had the whole day - week - month - to sit in my very own space and play music out loud while working at my computer beside my cat Olivia. I could eat snacks when I wanted, set up meetings when I wanted to and I felt like it was such a nice pace compared to the usual rush and interruptions that “the real world” would usually present. 

I felt lighter and a lot more positive. In the evenings, I started journaling again. I worked on vision boards and sought inspiration. I felt like I had more time to think things through instead of feeling rushed. I got inspired again; I had some fun creating a magazine wall in my room, I experimented with self timer photoshoots, and I even started watching shows and movies on my Disney+ account again (which I hadn’t opened in months!). 

  

After 3 weeks of self isolating by myself in Toronto, I decided to move my quarantine practicing back to my hometown to stay with family. It has been so comforting and enjoyable to be back in Cobourg with good food, lots of wide open country space to go for walks, and most importantly having my family to hang out with. I haven't "lived" here in almost 5 years, but it's been a nice change from my regular routine. It’s also less lonely, but honestly I didn’t even feel that lonely when I was by myself in Toronto. Which is a really good thing!

I’ve been in Cobourg for one whole month now and things have been great. I feel so lucky to have a job that allows me to work from home during this uncertain time. I’ve been able to stay very busy and also pretty positive. In Cobourg I get lots of fresh air, plenty of kitty cuddles and time with family. I’m so glad that my cat Olivia has adjusted to living here again too and it’s been nice to hang out with her brother Panda (my parents’ cat) as well. 

I am starting to miss my Toronto apartment as its harder to create content without all my equipment, props, outfit options and “stuff”, but I am completely fine with making it work with what I have as I know this should be the least of my worries during this unprecedented time. 

How have you been doing during quarantine? 

Thanks for reading today!