My Personal Struggles of COVID-19 (and how I combat it)

Everyone in this entire globe has been affected by the pandemic of COVID-19. Life as we know it, has been turned upside down. Whether or not you have been infected by the virus (or personally know someone that has been infected), the past three months have created many challenges in everyone’s lives. Here are my top three struggles that has come out during this time:

I got Zoomed Out!

Struggle: Most people I meet in a social setting think that I’m an extrovert. Not that I’m being deceptive, but when I have to “work a room,” I make a conscious decision to be positive, get to know people and make people feel seen and heard. As much as I love to make people feel special, it really drains my energy. The reason why this is important for you to know about me is because my struggles during quarantine did not include going batty over not seeing people in person. I actually loved the time of “stay-at-home order” because I felt like it gave me permission to stay at home; but with staying home, I couldn’t get out of all the Zoom call requests!
Solution: I started to limit my Zoom call acceptances to 2 calls per day, and they could not be back-to-back. As an extrovert by nurture and introvert by nature, I quickly realized that I needed at least 30 minutes in between calls to energetically recover and regenerate. This simple decision helped me maintain my energetic boundaries as well as increase my ability to mentally show up for each Zoom calls.
I lost half of my income!
Struggle: As a yoga teacher, fitness instructor and pilates instructor, the studios and gyms I taught weekly classes and monthly workshops at had to temporarily close their doors. Most health and wellness instructors and teachers are independent contractors for studios and/or part-time employees at fitness facilities, so we don’t get paid time-off.
Solution: I chose to count my blessings and focus on the things I can be grateful for. My husband makes enough for me to not work (some of the money I make goes toward my wellness business-related expenses). I’m not an essential worker that is required to put myself in danger everyday (A deep, sincere thank-you to all the essential workers!). I don’t have as many expenses when I stay at home. I can teach some classes virtually. I was able to successfully transition all of my private clients to meeting virtually. My monthly workshop has also been transitioned to virtual workshops. There are people who have lost jobs and their entire income. I pray for them everyday.
My daily routine has been thrown all over the place!
Struggle: I’ve heard from many people (without young kids or having to work) that it’s getting easier to stay up late and harder to get up early. For people with kids, they’ve had to add being a homeschool teacher/daycare worker/nanny to their already-existing responsibilities. For me, I’ve been busier than ever with teaching my classes online, moving half way across the country, writing my second book, getting ready for an upcoming advanced yoga teacher training in a couple of weeks, and getting furniture for our new house. These days, I don’t have a consistent routine other than waking up, reading my Bible, praying, meditating and practicing yoga. Other than that, my day-to-day activities varies.

Solution: I decided to enjoy this time of slight disorder and semi-chaotic life. This sets the perfect environment for me to truly practice stillness and being present. I also started taking walks around the lake and enjoying short yoga asana practices during sunsets. When I’m outside (especially near lakes and beaches), it immediately calms me down and helps me to become fully present.

I’ve been making a daily decision to be okay with my new normal. Even through my struggles of feeling like my life is on hold, I must be present and live each and every moment… because even in this new reality, our lives continue on.

What are some of your own struggles during this pandemic? I would love to hear from you!

With Gratitude,
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