So as the title suggests we have been in Isolation for 48 days. This has been a crazy time, filled with so many ups and downs. Mentally, Physically and Emotionally.
Here’s what I’ve learned.
It’s ok not to be ok.
This is a time in our lives that is unprecedented. We have never dealt with this before, nor did we know what to expect when we were first asked to isolate weeks ago. My mental health has taken a beating, as I am sure many of you have felt the same at one point or another. I have honestly gone from being totally ok, to hitting rock bottom, to better, to super bad to then accepting the situation. It’s a roller coaster. So the first thing I learned is: it’s ok not to be ok.
Going outside is a privilege and a necessity.
Without going outside for a little bit every day I would be a hot mess right now. I have managed to take some time for myself every day, rain or shine, to go for a little walk or just go out on my balcony. No matter how short it is and the fact that I have to walk around any person I may encounter, it’s worth it. Before this time of isolation, I would have taken my days off to sit on the couch or in bed relaxing, but I completely underestimated how necessary and wonderful it is to breathe fresh air!
Having a schedule is KEY.
Creating a clear schedule for myself from the start was key to getting through the day. I have an alarm during the week that wakes me up every morning (even though I don’t need to wake up early). I scheduled morning yoga into my day – 30 minutes of uninterrupted relaxing yoga that helped me create a mindset for the day. I also added meditation/mindfulness practice to my day, which has been incredibly helpful. Every night before I go to bed I ask myself what I want to achieve the next day (workouts I want to try and things I want to learn etc) and go through a nice and relaxing bedtime routine.
Celebrate the little things
Another thing that I think has really helped me is celebrating the little joys in my life at home. Cleaning the apartment, framing pictures that I never had the time to frame, trying new recipes, finishing a workout that was really tough, sitting on the balcony watching the sunset on a warm day or calling family and friends on FaceTime. Every little aspect that brought me joy I wrote in a journal and that helped me have some pretty good days!
Try to look at the positive.
It’s tremendously difficult when your dreams come to a sudden halt, to really dig deep and find the positive in all of this… But one thing I can say about this time is that I am really enjoying having quality time with the person I love, here at home. I also feel extremely grateful to be safe and healthy at this time and am doing everything I can to keep family members healthy too. On top of that, I have saved some money by only buying essentials.
Social Distancing is not a joke.
I know that there are people in some countries that are getting restless and that want their lives back, but is it worth the risk? Is it worth risking your families health? I don’t think so. This is a time that we cannot change and I think that by being in this situation we have hopefully learned a lot about what is truly important to us.
I hope that all of you are staying healthy and safe at this time. Don’t forget to check in with your mental health and help others who may be struggling. Since the postponement of the Games, I have been on my own journey, dealing with feeling overwhelmed by the emotions that come with pushing the Olympics, yet another year away. It has been hard, but I find that by using what I have learned it has created a sense of acceptance and calm in my world.
Claudia Holzner 