This coronavirus pandemic pulled the rug out from under everyone. As shocking and devastating an experience it has been, and as difficult living under lockdown has proven to be, there are life lessons we have each gained in the process. Outwardly, we may have been obsessively baking sourdough bread and spending hours on completing a puzzle with our kids, but there’s more to it than what our day-to-day routine has evolved into. As we slowly start to emerge and look toward establishing a new normal as the coronavirus numbers start to flatten out, we checked in with some regular D’FYNE contributors to see how they’ll be changing their approach to life going forward.
Attitude of gratitude
“I believe the only constant we ever truly experience in life is change. We have to open our hearts in order for our minds to embrace, trust, and adapt when we are presented with a new challenge or way of life. New routines have become very significant, especially my morning meditation and gratitude. In a world of so many unknowns, there is nothing more important than starting my day with a positive mindset. I have learned a higher appreciation and respect for others and their health, time we take for granted with family and friends, nature and the importance of what it does for this earth, gratitude and how it makes everything I have enough, the importance of being able to express myself through hugs and touch, and a new-found patience that I wish I had never lost in the first place.”
—HEATHER LOWE
Being present
“This has allowed quality time with my family where we can truly be present. Our normal weekly schedule is hectic with work, school, homework, and sports; dinner is usually a quick grab and go in the kitchen. Dinner is now an event where we eat together in the dining room every night. It has been a pleasure to slow down and enjoy great home-cooked food and conversation. It has also been an important reminder to express gratitude for the blessings in our life, even during stressful times.”
—ALICIA SCHOROTH
Making friendships a priority
“Being in quarantine has given me a new perspective of the importance of some very basic needs. One of the most important discoveries I’ve made about myself is how far I’ve removed myself from enjoying the company of close friends. For the past13 years, I’ve been so busy with my career and hobby of competing, that I have let relationships with friends fall to the wayside. I am vowing in this new revelation to rebuild my friendships, spend more time with children and grandchildren, and develop new acquaintances into meaningful friendships. With the absence of busy schedules, prepping for shows, and staying away from social functions for the goal of winning, I’ve let my passion for intimacy with friends wane.”
—JANET LYNN WEST
Appreciating needs versus wants
“I’ve always been a goal setter and I started out 2020 with such optimism, truly believing this was going to be my best year yet. And then the pandemic hit. I had a choice to embrace isolation or be frustrated by it. I chose to embrace it and I feel I’m still on track to meet my original goal albeit not the way I planned. A few of the things I’ve changed include seeing that I can get by with a lot less. Spending doesn’t bring me happiness. Relationships and life experiences do. And while an emergency fund was once considered a luxury, I now recognize it as a necessity. And shopping locally: I appreciate the need to buy Canadian; buy local and buy quality.”
—PATRICIA LOVETT REID
Practicing self-awareness
“During this quarantine, I really decided to take this time to go inward. Not only have I done a lot of meditating, journalling, and visualization but I also get up early every morning before the kids and fuel myself so that I can pour my energy into being with my family.”
—ROBINA ABRAMSONWALLING
Taking note of the planet’s wakeup call
“I’ve been reading about past pandemics and world crises and realize that this too shall pass, and will one day be something we experienced and will talk about. I have also realized that as a society we need to take better care of our world. If not, it will make sure we do by giving us pause to clean it up.”
—SANDRA MCLEOD
Falling in love with movement all over again
“Due to our current isolating situation I’ve learned that every once in a while, when feeling especially sad or uninspired to work out, the best thing is to get up and move. I learned very quickly that you don’t have to feel good or motivated or excited to get moving; but you do need to get moving to feel good!”
—ROSALIE BROWN
Stepping back to just be
“Prior to the pandemic, I was an overachiever with very high expectations of myself especially in my business. The more I accomplished, the better I felt. The pandemic brought that to a screeching halt and forced me to ‘be’ not ‘do.’ It’s been a great eye-opener for me. I’ve learned how to take a step back, feel accomplished through other means like being a mom and seeing clients make progress via virtual training. I’m a firm believer in learning from every experience and I’m grateful for what the pandemic has taught me. Step back, breathe, and simply be!”
—ERIN BAILEY-BOYES
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