NO DOUBT about it -- this modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in Metro Manila is making a lot of people feel hopeless. There seems to be a consensus on fear as the cases keep on rising in Manila and Cebu but at the same time, the economy needs to jumpstart. I am just hoping that this government will come out with a concrete plan on what they want to do and how they are planning to control the crisis without resulting in total lockdown that has brought many job losses.
Truth be told, I am feeling a bit of hopelessness but I also acknowledge that there are a lot of things I have no control over. I have decided then early on during the quarantine that I will make the most out of this by controlling what I can control. Here is what I have done so far and if you have the time or even the energy to do some of the following, I suggest you do so. The situation we all are in is not okay but we can just try to make the most out of it without going insane.
1. Start an herb garden. I already started two years ago and this quarantine, I just added an oregano, sage, strawberry even and rosemary to the plants and herbs I already have from before. Tending to the plants is helping keep me sane with all the unending bad news all around us.
2. Clear your wardrobe. I also gave quite a number of things and clothes the past four months. I am still continuing clearing my wardrobe for things I can sell or give away. This is hard to do but the results are worth it. There is more room in my wardrobe now and I am able to share my hand me downs to others.
3. Perfect your favorite dish. During quarantine, almost everyone became a baker or a cook or a gardener. I like that some people were able to use the long months of no work or work from home status to hone their craft. People have started online selling their goods as well.
4. Start a journal. Writing a journal, doing an album of my future goals and collating photos of my dream home are some of the things I am doing to keep my mental health in check. This is my escape. I write my goals every week or add on details on how I want to achieve my goals. It is free to dream so use this time to really sit down on what you want in your life.
5. Develop daily routine. In the morning, I start my day with a prayer because with everything that is happening, praying is the thing that grounds me. I get scared with the uncertainty of tomorrow, so I pray and that keeps me calm. I am still scared and also afraid for the millions of people who lost their jobs, millions who are caught in uncertainty of how to navigate the future. However, for now, all we can do is do the best today. No one is guaranteed tomorrow. The sooner we accept that, the better we can prepare each day.
6. Sit down and take a "Life Inventory" like family, friends, travel, finance, or health. During quarantine, I reached out to people I have not talked to for quite a while. I also was able to sit down after putting it off for years to sit down and look at my finances. It used to scare me before to know where I stand. I am empowered now to know what the numbers are. I highly recommend sitting down and taking stock of what you have right now, where you are at this point in your life and where do you want to go, who do you want to be surrounded with. Most importantly, how can you better your health. If there is any resounding thought from all this Covid is knowing that good health is truly the greatest wealth.
7. Create an At-Home Movie Theater. Since going to the movies is out of the question, subscribe to Amazon Prime or Netflix and watch movies for less than $10 per month. That is the best thing for now to avoid getting the virus.
I hope these tips can spark something in you to also make the most of the quarantine. We have different ways on coping with the sadness, the uncertainty. These were the ones that helped me navigate the past few months. I hope it helps you, too.
Follow me on twitter @Missheiding, Instagram @Missheiding and www.sunstar.com.ph.