These past few weeks have been such a struggle for me, mental health wise. There would be days when I would feel like not doing anything, then I would be mad and anxious because I feel like I am not doing productive things. It is a constant battle within myself, and I do not think that this whole quarantine season has been helpful at all. Because even if I am not a physical person, I still do enjoy the company of people I love. So it is a constant battle with my brain and my own well-being.
Before this whole pandemic started, I was in South America. Just like most person my age, I was living my life and I was enjoying the company of the people I were with. This whole quarantine season has, definitely, taken its toll on me and my own mental health. I used to live with more than twenty people and I used to share rooms with three other people because we were living in a hostel. Obviously, this was the perfect way to live when you are on the road since hostels are relatively cheaper than Airbnb’s. So it was the way to go. Then this pandemic started, and just like that, I went from living with more than twenty people to being by my lone self 24/7.
To be honest, I am not one to complain about being alone. This is something that I expect (since i am single) and something that I am used to. I have previously lived alone in different countries and in countless apartments prior to this pandemic. But why is it different now? Why was I being depressed? Why was my mental health deteriorating?
There is something special with getting your home all to yourself, yes. It is very liberating, freeing, and it is just an absolute delight. But with the restrictions that this pandemic brings, it can cause a lot of problems within one’s self. You see, before this pandemic, I used to live by myself. But then I can always have this comfort knowing that at any given moment, I can head over to a friend’s house or they can head over to mine, and we can just hangout. There is comfort in knowing that we can have people around and that we can enjoy their presence and the happiness that they bring. Due to the quarantine season, who knows when we can all hangout freely again? I guess that is slowly taking its toll on my my mental health. It is not pretty, and it is not something that I thoroughly enjoy.
A photograph from our bike ride today.
Today I went biking around my town with my cousins. I loved biking, even as a kid. Although somewhere along the way, I stopped. But you know what? There is a sense of relief in getting back into the swing of things. Biking has, most definitely, helped me focus on happier thoughts and contain my emotions. There is just something magical about moving—that is why I am always on the go. The quarantine season has limited my comings and goings but the simple pleasures of biking and walking around my town has a certain appeal to it. Rediscovering these streets and just sitting by the water have had a really positive effect on my mental health today. I intend on doing it more often, that is for sure.
One more thing that has helped me grow during this chaos is the fact that technology can be used to our advantage. Our friends might be absent physically, but that doesn’t mean that you cannot connect with them virtually. Every day I tend to talk to, at least, one or two of my closest friends. There has not been a day that went by where I did not talk to anyone. I guess it is just a great way to be held accountable for each other’s mental well-being. Obviously, we are all very busy but to slow down and to take things one day at a time has been thoroughly helpful to me during this pandemic. I guess what I am trying to say is that you have to check on your friends, because we really do not know what each other are battling during this quarantine season. Our mental health has to be taken care of, just like how we take care of our physical bodies so that we will not be infected by COVID-19.
I also started working out again! Honestly, I am not a fan of working out nor sweating, but I do love to feeling of moving and feeling healthy after a good work out session. So, I encourage you to do the same. Heh.
Of course, the one who has never left my side is God. We can always talk to Him at any given moment. You just have to whisper a prayer, because He is always, always listening to you. No matter what thoughts or feelings we may have, He will be there for you to guide you through this hard time. He has never, not once, failed before, and I want to tell you a good news that He is not about to start now. Talk to Him, He is always there for you.
This pandemic has been hard, that is true. But with the right company and the right mind set, we might just make it through. Just hang in there for a little while longer. We will get through this together.
I would love to pray for you so comment down below your prayer requests or thoughts. If you would like to keep it private, just send me a message and I would love to back you up in prayer.
I would also like to share a worship song that has helped me a lot in the current season that I am in. Please listen to it with an open heart and just worship with everything in you. You never know how powerful worship is until you are in the middle of one.
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Be safe, friends. This is a tough time. But with God, we can go through everything with the knowledge that He will never let us down, no matter how many times we let Him down. Because that is just His nature. He is a forgiving Father. He loves each and everyone of us. Equally. Perfectly. Eternally. So go on and talk to Him.
“Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”
John 7:38 NIV
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