So here we are again. The days have been slow, and we have all been basically living the same lives. Staying indoors, having minimal contact with other people, and washing our hands every minute we remember. When the outbreak happened six months ago it was difficult to see what the future was going to be like and now that we’re here, it feels almost the same, but we are a little more used to it now.
When it started, there wasn’t much I could think of to do to fill the time. However, I did know this was going to be like this for a while, so I tried to set some goals like exercising more and learning more about myself. Those goals went right into the backburner of my brain, but they were looming over me every day.
These revelations were making me realize that most of the time we might be too over-eager to please the people around us rather than ourselves. We are constantly trying to satisfy other peoples’ needs and not ours. Because of this, we tend to forget that we are important to and our needs should be prioritized. It is easy to forget a lot of the things that make us us when we focus too much on what other peoples’ likes and dislikes are.
Having so much time to myself made me realize a lot about myself. It showed me more about what I like doing rather than having plans made up for me. Especially because a lot of things are canceled now, it is easier not to get swept up in responsibilities or things you think you should be doing.
So with all this time by myself and not being interfered with the real world, I started to make lists. A lot of lists. They were all about me — from what I like doing in my free time to what my favorite snacks are. The lists helped me categorize my thoughts easily. I even had a list of my favorite scenes in the shows I’ve watched and written down the exact feeling those scenes have given me (e.g. The episode of “The Legend of Korra” when Meelo fell asleep while meditating makes me laugh every time).
With these lists, you learn a lot about your humor, your likes and dislikes, your cravings, and maybe even some of your pet peeves.
It’s hard to learn about yourself when you are constantly surrounded by other people your whole life. And knowing yourself is what gives you a huge advantage in life. It makes you make decisions more honestly and be more confident in yourself. I could have used this confidence earlier in my life and not wasted time with things I don’t find as important.
Hopefully having this time when we are all living the same lives can motivate you to find out how you want to make your life different.
