How Eve is Surviving the Pandemic: Dealing with Loss and Creating New Habits

How I am Surviving the Pandemic: Dealing with Loss and Creating New Habits

At the beginning of quarantine, I wondered how my life could maintain some sort of normalcy. On top of these worldwide changes, my beloved emotional support dog, Lucy had suddenly passed away. I was overwhelmed with anxiety and my life was out of balance. 

Grieving 

My first step in grieving the loss of Lucy and the overall loss of normalcy was to accept that these changes were completely out of my control. I realized that what I needed most was to create new and healthy habits for myself. “What do you need to unlearn?.. What new habits could you adopt in order to enjoy life more?” (p. 13) This quote from Puja Thomson’s “Track Your Truth” helped me to realize that my daily habits needed a revamping to suit my new lifestyle. 

Sleeping Schedule 

Instead of waking up at 7AM for my 8AM classes and going to bed at 11PM after late night dance team practices, I began waking up at 11AM and going to bed at 2AM. This new sleeping pattern was unhealthy as I lost several hours of my day every morning and felt an overall grogginess. “It takes awareness to find your true place of equilibrium.” (p. 63). After reading T Y T, I became more conscious of what my body had really been telling me, as I was ignoring the signals for so long. As I have returned my sleeping schedule to its pre-quarantine normalcy, I’ve noticed a significant energy boost throughout my days. 

Phone Addiction 

Sitting inside all day with seemingly nothing to do, I often find myself mindlessly scrolling through my phone for hours at a time, feeling sluggish and lazy. Several of my friends are engaging in the same unhealthy habit, as many people take little to no time away from their devices. “With conscious awareness, in any moment, you can make new choices and develop new patterns of behavior in line with your current values” (p. 107). This quote from T Y T brought awareness to my phone addiction. By taking mental notes of when I log on and log off my social media accounts, I’ve become mindful of how much time I take scrolling on my phone. 

Exercise 

I was always on the go; rushing to class, working out at the gym, free flowing at the dance studio, and taking frequent walks with Lucy. Lately, I’ve been taking constant trips to the refrigerator and pantry to seek antidote from wandering boredom and sadness. “Movement, both physical and spiritual, can create a much healthier you” (p. 92). When I read this, I realized that I needed to start taking better care of my body in order to create a healthier lifestyle so that I could feel good about myself. Recently, I’ve been doing gentle morning yoga to start my day with good intentions. This simple and easy change to my daily routine has allowed me to take some time away from my phone and calm my thoughts by connecting my mind and body. 

A Happier Me 

Now, I am more present in each moment and live with ease because I have created new habits. I now take the time to nurture my body and mind. “When you start to appreciate and respond to the blessings of body, mind, emotions and spirit, you can initiate a wider range of choices to create a healthier lifestyle” (p. 4). This book encouraged me to transform my life in a time of turmoil and unexpected unfortunate events. With similar changes and guidance from Puja, you can shift your life towards positivity and happiness as well. 

Written by Eve Benedetti, SUNY New Paltz Intern at Roots & Wings