In most situations, I am a firm believer that knowledge is power. I like to know what is happening all over the world. At the beginning of COVID 19, I tried to follow the news to stay up-to-date. With each article, my spirit sunk, my optimism was being squashed, and I recognized it was starting to affect my mental health. I needed to feel free to live in the moment.
There are a lot of people who are choosing to focus on the negative aspects of quarantine, but I am not one of them. I do not mean to diminish the severity of what is going on. I believe that living in fear and panicking will only cause more anxiety and unrest while we are sheltering in place.
A Decision Made for My Mental Health
For the first time in my life, I chose to stay as ignorant as possible to the situation. Of course, I am following up on the newest safety precautions and I am extremely saddened that the death toll keeps rising, but I do not need a daily reminder of how many more people have been affected. I am not sure if there is any civilian who truly needs a daily update on how many more people died. I saw a notification that the American death toll has now surpassed that of the Vietnam War.
As far as I am concerned, until we are safe again, that should be the last death toll update anyone could need to believe this pandemic is serious.
Seriousness aside, has anyone else noticed an uptick in productivity, activeness, and creativity amongst adults? Everywhere I look, people seem to be taking the time to do things they would not have been able to if we were not sheltered in place. More people are cleaning out their basements/houses, instead of just sitting on the couch. More people are walking, instead of driving. Even more people are painting and dancing, instead of “hanging out with their friends”, but really texting their other friends.
Is it possible this quarantine is going to jumpstart our society to start living in the moment again? Not taking a picture of the moment, so everyone else knows you are having fun, but actually having fun.
Try Something New
Why are more people willing to change their looks and try something new? Quarantine is the best excuse if it doesn’t work out. We can claim insanity because we were bored in the house & in the house bored. There is a sense of freedom knowing you won’t see your peers. There is a sense of community because we are all doing the exact same thing. In quarantine, there are no popular kids, there is no success or failure, and there is endless time to try anything you could possibly want.
I am hoping that more people realize the amount of time we have right now is always the amount of time we have. Each day we get 24 hours of “free time”. Most of us choose to spend a great portion of it at work or sleeping due to necessity, but I am trying to be more intentional with how I spend my other hours.
Is watching TV and movies a way to make us feel like we are using our time wisely? I know that I feel like I am on the TV screen when it is on. Those are my friends and that is my life, but it is not. As sad as it is, Meredith Grey is not my friend and I have no idea how to perform surgery.
I want to challenge you to watch TV less and increase your creative activities. Being more creative could be the solution for people to showcase their individuality and help contribute more to our society. Not only more ideas, but more happiness and more optimism. Pick one day, be 100% optimistic the whole day. I’d be shocked to hear of one person who didn’t feel a burden lifted and immediately happier.
