Here we are guys, week X (fill in for yourself) at home, helping to #flattenthecurve. It has been emotional, stressful and challenging, but for me personally it has also brought some good things as well. Some silver linings. I’d like to share them with you today.
First of all I would also like to thank personally all the emergency workers, nurses and caretakers, as well as mail delivery staff and warehouse workers and all the other frontline warriors. You guys are the real MVP’s right now.
Gratitude
Which immediately brings me to my first point. I feel grateful that these people are still there for us, every day, whilst the only thing we need to do is stay at home. I understand I am speaking from a luxury position and not every house is safe, hell, not everybody even has a house. Therefore, if you are reading this and you are safe, at home, and can put food on the table: take a minute to feel grateful for that as well. Don’t take it for granted.
Slow down
This pandemic forced us all to stay at home, keeping a distance from everyone and giving up all our social activities. We are spending a lot of time at home, with ourselves and in our own heads. It made me realize how rushed we always are. We are busy busy busy. Working, maintaining a social life, exercising, parenting (not me), investing in our relationship. And when we are at home, usually we are doing chores, or mindlessly scrolling on our phones (guilty!). For the first time in months, I am just staring outside the window again, having nowhere to go and nothing to do, and feeling peaceful. I hear the birds sing, watch the nature be and just slow down. What a blessing.
Appreciate the small things
You probably read this sentence before in some magazine or post online, but now more than ever, I enjoy the small things in life. In the morning, on the couch with my cappuccino, fresh after a yoga session, reading a bit. Or when I take a walk in the forest, I notice how beautifully the leaves sparkle in the sunlight. I heard a woodpecker for the first time in my life (it was probably there before, but I never really listened). I look at some old photo-albums and smile thinking back at the memories.
Reconnect
I talk to my friends and family even more now than before. I live in Germany now, so I’m already separated from them, but we are all making the effort to connect with each other more often. I’m in a group chat with 2 of my best friends and we send random pictures to each others, share nice recipes, share our frustrations. My family started a weekly videochat meeting (with around 15 people in it) to just see each other’s faces and catch up a bit. I call my father weekly now (or he calls me) whereas before, we barely called once a month. I have a call tonight with a friend living in California. I call my grandma 3 times a week now, instead of 1-2 times. I live far away from everyone, yet I still feel so close to them. ❤
My family!
Experiment
What do you do all day at home? At the beginning of the pandemic, I ordered some puzzles, scratchcards and paint-by-numbers stuff online to keep myself busy. Later I added following an online course to the list (via Coursera.org or Udemy), and I also started experimenting more in the kitchen. Now is the perfect time to try something you always wanted to, but never prioritized. I have been making cheesecake, focaccia, banana bread, lasagna, tiramisu, naan pizza, teriyaki sauce, duck à l’orange,… I love cooking, I just never had the energy or the time left to find new recipes or try them out!
My marriage
Let’s end on a cheesy note here 😉 Most of you know I got married on March 6. Quickly after that, borders got closed, and me and hubby are spending our honeymoon by looking at each other’s faces all day every day. And of course there are some irritations someday, but overall I have never felt closer to him. We spend a lot of time talking, dreaming, planning for the future. When the borders open again, when we can see our families and friends again. It’s happening more and more often that he says something and I say: I was gonna say the same! (or vice versa). We have our little routines during the working week where we start with yoga at 7:15 for 15 mins, do some ab training at 12:15 and end our working day with some sparring (boxing) around 18. And I love it!
I know this pandemic is causing a lot of pain in the world in various fields, and that there is economic uncertainty, poverty, hunger, domestic violence, abuse, sickness, death,… all over the world. I’m just sharing my personal experience with how the past weeks have been for me. I’ve also been sad, upset, anxious and so much more. But I realize as well I am privileged that I still have my health, a job, a house, my family and friends and that they are still healthy. Let’s be kind to each other, let’s help each other where we can. And remember: this too shall pass.
Love always,
Claudia
labellita.com 