Letter #2: Lessons from Quarantine

If you’re wondering why this is Letter #2, click to read Letter #1!

Dear Quarantined Friend,

In my last letter I wrote that I had a good feeling about this season. WELL that was in October and a great season that was, but I do feel extremely different now. Rather than clear vision and renewed health, the Year 2020 will go down in history as the global pandemic of our lifetimes. And with all of the cancelled brunch dates, travel plans, and leisurely outings, I’m left to the devices of working from home and thinking from home. Surprisingly, the latter hasn’t been so bad.

Towards the beginning of the influx of nationwide stay-at-home orders, I lost both of my grandmas: one to the Covid nightmare and the other to ongoing illness. As hard as it’s been, I’m sort of thankful for having to be cooped up in a house with my parents and little brother 24/7 because we’ve needed each other to lean on. Maybe it’s weird to say, because there’s so much turmoil going on worldwide due to this pandemic, but I think that this time away from everything that we feel is essential is the mental, physical, and spiritual reset we needed as human beings. In the midst of these times, I’ve felt a resurgence of energy to dedicate to my passions — you may have noticed the new website design — and I’ve been left inspired, awestruck, and warmed watching others find the same. I’m learning how to derive motivation from the successes in the world around me instead of allowing them to become overwhelming.

Here are some random things that have inspired me daily:

• My family

• Bible devotions

• The nature around me

• Kindness

• White wine

• My friends and their passion projects

I’d like to think of my self as somewhat of a Self Care Enthusiast; I’m always preaching self love and care and kindness. There has yet to be a more pertinent time to practice self care than this very moment. With everyday riddled with uncertainty it’s become important for me to understand that relaxing into this new normal is not second nature; it’s going to take a lot of mercy and patience with myself.

I’ve practiced regular self care by:

• Doing daily meditations (well I aspired for them to be daily)

• Buying a Nintendo Switch and nagging my friends to let me visit their islands on Animal Crossing

• Weekly yoga in the garden

• Reading

• Doing LOTS of face masks

• Outlining my long-term goals and action items

• Giving myself a break

The last thing — for now — that quarantine has taught me is that I have a surplus of questions that may never get answered, like:

• Am I actually more of an introvert than I thought?
  Time will tell, but I’m really enjoying the down time.

• Will Virtual Happy Hours ever be as fun as REAL Happy Hour?
  What I wouldn’t do for a $5 Moscow Mule from El Dorado right now….

• What’s the future of fashion look like?
  Feels like we’re going to figure out a LOT of ways to wear sweatpants.

• Will I ever stop missing my grandmas?
  There are good days and bad days but my hypothesis is that no, I won’t.

• Why do flies exist?
  I know they’re part of some crucial balance of nature but SHEESH they’re annoying.

• Are we going to suffer permanent damage to our eyes from looking at screens all day?
  I bought two more pairs of blue-light glasses, they make me feel like I’m protected.

• When will high-maintenance be resumed?
  My nails, toenails, and eyebrows are SUFFERING.

• When’s the next time I’ll go to the club?
  I don’t even like the club like that but I just wanna know….

As always thank you for the honor of your time. SUBSCRIBE down below (at the very bottom of the page) and let’s stay in touch!

IF you’ve subscribed before please do it again! I realized there were some errors occurring with the subscription list…yikes.

Yours Truly and Truly Me,

Maya G