I need something tangible to remind me my life is not digital. The COVID-19 isolation made me think of all the places I visited with my family the recent years. I pulled up a file with all museum passes, attraction maps, performance tickets, and so many other memories, I kept for the day when I’ll have time to go through and remember every moment of these happy times. And I did, even the sweet pain in my feet after an exhausting day of sightseeing. The physical evidence of me being there, doing these things, was so much more precious than the digital trail because I could both see it and touch it.
In times when social isolation and online living are the new normal, I feel reluctant to change. Netflix movie night will never replace the energy of a full theater. Zoom meeting won’t replace a night out with friends. It doesn’t need to. Social distancing doesn’t mean our lives will be digital from now on; it means we need to adjust to the current situation and make the best of it.
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
Relationships, self-improvement, and self-care are often in the backburner when busy with everyday life. COVID-19 shutdown may be the perfect opportunity to commit more time to yourself and your loved ones. Why not do a family activity, adopt a pet, learn a new skill, call an old friend, make craft, exercise, cook, read a book, write a book, use your imagination to create something tangible. By tangible, I mean everything that will be there to enjoy if the Internet shuts down. Real-life experience is what makes us who we are, and now more than ever, we need to focus on getting better.
