We Can Adapt

Ever since the coronavirus pandemic began, the world has been finding different ways to cope. Some revert to exercise, others remove themselves off the grid and stop watching the news or scrolling through their feeds. Some have found the quieter days helpful and soothing, while others (like myself) have come to know a part of themselves they didn't think existed.

I've always kept myself busy with other people. I've always encouraged outings, friends coming over and only ever staying home if someone else was with me. I hated being alone and I never understood why, because now, I thoroughly enjoy it.

My mind was constantly working. I would wake up at 7:30am (weekdays of course), get dressed and head to work. A full 9 hour shift would be ahead of me - and even in my 1 hour lunch break, my mind is spinning. I'm reading articles, reading the news, scrolling through Instagram or Twitter. My mind was constantly absorbing, analyzing and storing information. I would go home and it was time to catch up with family members or significant others. I'd eat lunch while watching a Youtube video or episode of a series I follow. Whilst simultaneously planning the next outing whether it be that night or the following one. Our brains are trained to handle so much, especially this generation. We were born into it. We woke up to the fast paced.

My brain has been tired, & it took a global pandemic to tell me I needed to slow down. Although the repercussions have been heartbreaking in ways more than one (many many ways more than one) - I am grateful. I'm grateful that one of the repercussions was more home time. More alone time. More family time. The excessive posts on social media have led me to stray away from it. I reach for my phone less, but for my book more. I have no notifications popping up at the top of the screen as I try to slip into what I am reading & get emersed into the "not-now". I was never much of a reader, but it was a promise I made to myself to read a new book each month, and so far so good.

I didn't realize how much I was being bombarded with on a daily basis, until I had more time than I could possible ask for to review it all. For the first time in a looooooong time, I realized I had more time than I had tasks to fill it with. And I felt very light and content, it was strange but I liked it.

Why am I explaining all of this? Simply to share my personal experience since the Covid-19 outbreak. Not to say that my sample of people is an accurate representation of what's truly going on in the world - but my direct group of friends (let's say 8 pax.) have been adapting so well. Does this suffice to say that our entire generation is adaptable? Maybe not. Will I continue to elaborate? Maybe yes.

You see my generation was born into such a fast-moving era, that it's practically a primitive skill to adapt this easily. I remember mall openings being a new and exciting thing! I remember when mobile phones first became a trend. Camera phones? WOW! Then the game boy, followed by the Nintendo. Then the Tamagotchi had its time. All of a sudden floppy disks are out, USB's are in? We're so used to getting a taste of things, and then having them stripped away and getting distracted by the next thing.

Que Corona debut - we're fine. Sure social distancing has stopped us from dining out with big groups of people, watching movies in theatres or dancing in crowds. But we're okay aren't we?

We can study online. Work online. Workout via online videos. Learn healthy cooking skills also! Pharmacies & groceries deliver. We're lucky. We're blessed.

Take this article as a gentle reminder that this too shall pass, and that we're kicking ass.