After over a month in quarantine, it is incredible to see the shift in our lifestyles. The pandemic crisis has opened new-found values and mindsets in many individuals. Prior to the pandemic, we have been living in a fast-paced and fast cycled world. We tend to purchase unnecessary items and get “bored” of them, long before their lifespan is over. This fast-paced lifestyle has deemed to be impractical and ultimately unsustainable for our environment. It is no coincidence that with humans being confined to their homes and having less contact with the environment, that it is beginning to reset. With less disposable income, job insecurity and a recession looming over us, individuals have begun to re-think their lifestyles and just like our environment, reset.
How things have changed
During this pandemic, we have veered from these big companies and are turning to creatives. These same creatives that are often overlooked and undervalued are who we are looking to for inspiration, light and hope. Listening to Instagram live concerts, taking virtual tours through art galleries and going on Zoom calls to support and learn from various artists. Aside from turning to creatives, we are also becoming them. Many of us are starting new creative hobbies such as beading, sewing, drawing, painting or learning a new instrument. We are beginning to tap into ourselves and focus on our personal well-being. Eliminating the everyday distractions of material goods, we are beginning to settle down and focus on having more important and meaningful relationships in our lives.
These relationships relate to both our human and spiritual practices. We are focusing on our mental health, friendships, romances and our families rather than being consumed by the constant demands of society. Spending more quality time with others and ourselves, this time period has truly been restorative.
Ultimately, from this quarantine, it is important that we take the positives from this experience and apply this time of healing into our “normal” routine. The quarantine has presented that at the end of the day, we have both ourselves and interpersonal relationships. We are so confined to the pressure of society that we tend to forget to rest and focus on what is most important in our lives. Taking days to pause, recharge and focus on these meaningful aspects of life is what will guide and allow ourselves to live more fulfilling, creative and purposeful lives.
By: Ruby Lukach