Was the Pandemic a Blessing in Disguise?
An experience like nothing before.
“Don’t spend your life wondering “what if” and worrying over something you have no control. What’s done is done. Looking backwards will cause you to miss out on new blessings ahead. Move on.”― Germany Kent
There is a lot that 2020 has taught me about myself, my relationships, my passions, and my values. As I made my 2020 New Year’s resolutions, I had nothing but hope for not just a fresh year, but a fresh decade to make my own. More memories, more adventures, more travel were on my list too! God, however, had other plans. If I could take the pandemic away in an instant I would, but I can’t and so instead I try and look for the silver lining in this situation. But did the year go in vain? Not for me.
This has been an incredibly challenging, transformative, and life-changing year. And this year will always remind me of how beautiful and sour life actually is. The only thing I truly am in control of is how I react to things that happen around me. From tough times come tough lessons, personal growth, and learning opportunities. Here are a few things I have learned about myself that has helped me take better care of myself.
Appreciating the positives
“Gratitude will shift you to a higher frequency, and you will attract much better things.” — Rhonda Byrne
Showing appreciation and gratitude for the things I have and love is one of the most powerful tools I have come across. When you show appreciation regularly, it will open doors to better opportunities, a more positive exchange, and ultimately a better relationship. And, the more I practice this, the sooner I feel good. This initially seemed absurd to me but with time, it transformed my life.
2020 was and is the year to have the courage to be enthusiastic. I express appreciation, give compliments, and call out triumphs openly — no matter how small. If I see something good, I speak up. And this attitude keeps me positive all through the day.
We still have a long path to get through this pandemic, but I’m doing my best to manage the toll it takes on my mental and emotional health. It is making it easier to ride on the path of ups and downs. I feel hopeful, ready, and happy about the future that is yet to be unfurled, and that is a great feeling.
Choosing health
“To ensure good health: eat lightly, breathe deeply, live moderately, cultivate cheerfulness, and maintain an interest in life.” -William Londen
At the beginning of the year, I often found myself stressing over the disaster called pandemic that was staring me in the eye. This led me to habits like binge-eating and choosing the wrong sorts of foods. I was literally nothing but a couch potato with a huge bag of chips and a cola next to me. Within weeks, I could see it’s negative impact manifest in the form of weak health and immunity. It also made major and devastating impacts on my mental health. That’s when I said STOP!
At the end and the beginning of the day, it was up to ME to decide to put my wellness first. I started investing in self-care and gradually I could see visible differences. It’s always easier to prevent disease than to manage or cure it after. When I gave up junk and greasy food and dedicated time to physical activities, I became less stressed and unhappy. It’s important to nurture your mind, body, and soul for a balanced approach to your health and wellness. But the best part was the quality of sleep I started having after I chose health. So, yes, love yourself enough that you know what your body and mind need.
Tech-NO-logy
“The digital innovation that set out to connect people, has slowly started to tear those people apart both from within and without.”― Abhijit Naskar
A few months ago, as a millennial, I was obsessed with social media. Though I was very much aware that it was a waste of time, it caused major FOMO whenever I shut it down, and it used to just put me in a really crappy mood overall. Even after repeatedly shunning myself for the obsession, my hands would still reach down and log in to the apps.
It was only after my moods started fluctuating that I gradually switched off from it. My life has changed for the better since deleting social media. I now enjoy catching up with myself, my family, and my friends. It made me realize who my real friends are and how social media takes the joy out of sharing news with people. I also feel less anxious and less depressed now. My life is a private diary and only the true and close people are a part of it. And I guess, I’m going to let it be that way.
Of course, this is no way means that I am away from technology as a whole — I do spend some time watching a few of my favorite TV shows and films. I spend some parts of my day enjoying a cat video, a podcast, a lecture, and a little bit of glamour here and there. The trick is to have self-control though.
Pious and proud
This might not be for everybody but this is something very near and dear to me. And it transformed my life.
What I’m about to share with you is the best thing that happened to me in 2020! Till the year hit the broken paths, I was a little here and there when it came to the concept of God. In short, I was an agnostic Hindu. But the time and troubles of 2020 led me to a path to question the purpose of my life, this world, and the definition of the hereafter. I spent days and nights searching the depths of the internet to find an answer to my queries and confusion.
No matter where you are in your life, deep down we desperately desire to connect with our Creator. And He wants to connect with us too. I somehow felt that the free time God had gifted me with was the time I had to use for gaining the utmost and superior knowledge ever known to mankind — I wanted to know who God is, His creations, and His plans.
I spent months studying religions, and this is the best thing I have studied in my life. The peace and happiness I gained after knowing that there is the Supreme power who is taking care of my affairs can never be compared to any happiness I have ever gained.
“Do not, then, either lose heart or grieve: for you shall surely gain the upper hand if you are true men of faith. “
— Qur’an 3:139
Every day, I praise God, thank Him, ask Him for help, ask Him to take care of my family and friends, ask Him to forgive me, and ask Him to guide me. And every time I do this, I feel refueled and loved. What a great feeling that is!
So, remember, before you conclude that your situations are poor and painful, take a deep breath and analyze them. Things aren’t always as bad they seem, trust me. Life is a journey and you will arrive at your destination, God willing.
Be hopeful, spread joy, and smile more often.
