Things That Kept Me Sane During The Pandemic

When we were first ordered to quarantine, my first thought was ‘this is scary’, but I’m an introvert with anxiety so ordering me to stay home was like a dream come true. It was nice for the first week or two and then cabin fever started to set in. I didn’t have any hobbies that I enjoyed doing. When life was normal, I would workout, watch TV, and go to work so I didn’t have time for much else. It was not only difficult to find things to do that interested me before the pandemic, but it was extremely difficult to find things to do in my own home that I enjoyed doing. I started to become depressed and I would just be in a funk all day, everyday. I can’t tell you how many times a day Alex and I would look at each other and say, “I can’t believe this is actually happening”. I eventually learned how to cope and find things to do that would occupy my time.

Puzzles

These were so popular during quarantine. There’s something about a puzzle that seems so therapeutic and calming. Well we didn’t have one so we had to borrow one from Alex’s parents. We would watch the ID channel while we worked on the puzzle and this is one of the most memorable times from quarantine that I could remember. This was when I was having my breakdowns from my anxiety and being stuck inside. I found that doing these puzzles with Alex was not only a bonding moment for us, but I got to forget about all the terrible things that were happening in the world. I’ve realized how much puzzles helped me during those times and they still do help with my anxiety to this day.

Coloring/Drawing

This goes hand in hand with puzzles. It’s super therapeutic to be able to color an image however you want. We wound up ordering coloring books and colored pencils from Walmart that we got delivered to our home. If you suffer from anxiety or depression, this could be a good, relaxing escape for a couple hours.

My Dog

Having my dog during quarantine was probably the most helpful for me. I’m also glad she had a good home during all this. Any time I felt sad or depressed, hugging or cuddling with Jazz always improved my mood and I know she enjoyed all the love as well🤗 She brought a lot of joy to our lives during all of this and I’m so thankful we have her. There had been times Alex and I had arguments and just spending time with Jazz away from him made my mood improve. It would calm me down to the point where I could then have a rational conversation with him after. If you have anxiety, depression, etc. and have the time, love, and dedication to take care of a dog, it helps a whole lot. Not to mention, there are a ton of amazing dogs in shelters right now that could use a good home with lots of love.

Coffee/Alcohol

This one may not be for everyone, but they did improve my mood. I still get excited in the mornings thinking about that first cup of coffee. Alcohol on the other hand, was just something me and Alex would get to look forward to at night. We wouldn’t drink every night and when we did drink, we would have one or two glasses of wine max. It definitely took the edge off a little and made us a little less stressed. I remember going to Alex’s parents in the beginning and sitting 6+ feet apart while drinking a glass of wine with them in the front yard. We finally got to enjoy dinner and wine with them INSIDE their house last weekend for the first time in a whole year. It was so lovely and Alex was so happy to finally be able to hug his parents again.

Watching New Shows/Movies

We got into the ID channel HARD during quarantine. More me than Alex, but he still really enjoys it. I always enjoyed mystery shows or anything that scared me so getting into this was easy. I was hooked from the first good show I watched. This also allowed the time to pass by a bit quicker which was what I needed at that time. If anyone is interested in some of my favorite shows from ID, I did add them to my other blog post. I’ll link it here for you lovelies!

Working Out

It definitely took us a while to get more equipment, but we worked with what we had in the beginning. It not only passed the time by, but working out always made me feel good about myself and my body. Being healthy in general always put me in such a good place in my life. Here is one of my workouts I posted for glutes and legs if you missed it. You need very minimal equipment for it!

Cleaning

I actually really enjoy cleaning and organizing my home. It not only improves my mood when everything looks neat, but it’s relaxing for me to do it in the moment. It helps me focus more when I’m in a clean environment rather than when everything looks untidy. The smell of a clean house is like heaven to me I swear. My house was never cleaner than it was during the pandemic🤣

My Boyfriend

My saving grace during all this was Alex. Yes, I took out my frustrations on him during the pandemic and he did the same to me, but we helped each other more than we even know during all this. I can’t imagine not having him there in the morning, in the afternoon, and at night with me. This is when we started to realize just how bad my anxiety was. He was able to calm me down when I was going crazy and knew exactly what to say. This whole experience made me so thankful to have him, not just during the pandemic, but I’ve became so much more appreciative of him. The quarantine made us stronger and I am forever grateful for my Alex💗

It’s been a tough year for us all. A lot of us have lost someone we knew and missed out on a lot of time with our loved ones. My father just got covid a few weeks ago down in the Florida Keys where he lives. I can’t tell you how concerned and worried I was, but thankfully he was okay. He’s a super active, healthy man so I’m so glad he always took good care of himself. Who knows what would have happened otherwise. I hope you all were able to stay safe during this time, as well as your families. I will be receiving my second vaccine dose tomorrow so wish we luck! Alex got his second one yesterday and feels a little under the weather today. This will soon all be behind us🙏

What helped you guys most during the pandemic? Anybody else get or plan on getting the vaccine?! Let me know loves!

Let’s Be Friends🥰

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