68 days. That’s how long it’s been since I taught an in-person class due to the closures of non-essential businesses because of COVD-19. My daily routine has changed dramatically just like everyone else. I go out less, I wash my hands more often, and I have definitely talked on the phone and FaceTimed with friends more than I have before. So…
HOW ARE YOU DOING?
As for me, I’ve been okay. Not awesome, not horrible; somewhere in between. Here’s pretty much how I’ve been week-to-week:
Week 1: Being “forced” to slow down and be home with my family = AWESOME!!!
Week 2: Super paranoid whenever I step outside of my home. Constantly washing my hands for at least 20 seconds. Putting our house on the market made it quite challenging whenever we had showing appointments since all the public places were closed. We spent a lot of time at Walmart and Lowe’s as well as long drives just to kill time. Thank goodness our house went under contract! Another week of showing appointments might’ve killed me (not really). Let the packing begin!
Week 3: We were so busy with packing that I wasn’t aware of the changes due to the stay-at-home order… but I continued loving spending extended time at home (I’m an extroverted introvert, so I value alone time because that is when I’m able to feel replenished of my energy).
Week 4: I found myself getting really independent in a way that I felt like I didn’t really need friends (which is not true!). I started wanting to socially withdraw from my friends. In addition to social distancing, I think part of the reason why I was feeling this way was because I knew I was going to be moving, so I felt a sense of letting go even before the move happened.
Week 5: Our search for our new home in Texas began. It was a very interesting experience taking virtual tours and video tours with our agent. By the end of the week, we were under contract on a home in one of the suburbs in North Dallas!
Week 6: We made the drive from North Carolina to Texas! It was really interesting to drive during quarantine (you can read about it here).
Week 7: We spent a week in San Antonio. While my husband worked remotely, my daughter and I got to enjoy the Riverwalk and a few other cool places. This is the week that some of the businesses started re-opening their doors with safety precautions in order. We got to dine in at a restaurant to celebrate my husband’s birthday!
Week 8: We had a temporary living arrangement while waiting to close on our new house. I continued to wear my mask in public places as well as washing my hands frequently for at least 20 seconds. Thank goodness for moisturizing hand lotions!
Week 9: We finally moved into our new home! Since most of our friends are still strictly social distancing, we didn’t ask for help with the move; instead, we hired movers to come and unload our things from our moving container into our house. With many boxes but very little furniture, they were done in no time! It seems like I’m getting less and less cautious about social distancing. I have to remind myself to respect others — that are at higher risk — by wearing my mask and keeping my distance.
Now that we are going into Week 10 of self-quarantine, I wonder what our new normal will be like going forward. I don’t feel anxious, but I do feel limited in what activities I can do. I miss teaching yoga, meditation and pilates in person at studios. I miss being able to go to the mall where all the stores are open. But I constantly remind myself that these are First World Problems. I am grateful that even though I have experienced some set-backs in my business, I’m able to still move forward and work on the things that I can. I really do have so much to be grateful for, and most likely, so do you. Next week, I will talk more about the topic of gratitude.
Have a great week, and please continue to be safe!
With Gratitude,
Jheni Solis Wellness 