Hi! During difficult times, I find that it’s very important to do self reflections. It’s easy to get stuck in bad habits, especially when you have to stay in the house! When you take a look back at how you’ve been living for the past weeks, you can get ideas on how to grow and improve.
1.) What is something you did for your body?
I’ve been trying my best to stay active while I’m at home. I think it’s really important because during my regular schedule, I get a lot of physical activity, but since it’s all been canceled, I’ve had to find more creative things to do. I found a 10 minute workout online, and I’m trying my best to do it everyday. I made sure to pick one that’s challenging but short, so that I have no excuse because it’s easy to make time and do it. It’s worked well so far!
2.) What is something you did for your mind?
I’ve made sure I go outside for a walk AT LEAST once a day, because it’s important to get fresh air and a change in scenery. It can be super hard on people to be inside for such long periods of time, so I made some different walking routes I can take, such as going up the hill to Austin Avenue and back, or going to Makin park. It really helps me clear my head 😊
3.) What is something you did for your happiness?
During this difficult time, I’ve tried my best to keep up with my friends. We play games online together, and just facetime to talk. I get pretty upset when I don’t get to connect with people for long periods of time, so even though we can’t connect face to face, I still try my best to do it online. A couple weeks ago I even made a club penguin account, and I played with a couple of my friends. It reminds me of my childhood and made me really happy!
4.) What is something you did for someone else?
A couple days ago it was my brother’s 7th birthday, and he was upset that he had to spend it at home. We wanted to do something special for him, so we borrowed some carnival games from a girl guides group and set up a carnival in our back yard. My mom bought prizes and me and my brother even cut out little tickets! It was really fun, and I think he really enjoyed it.
I never imagined the world would look like this, yet here we are! I hope that everyone is doing okay, and I wish you all the best!
-Jasmine Paduraru
Hey Jasmine!
I hope you and your family are doing well! I really enjoyed reading your reflection as I could relate with you in a lot of ways. I’ve also been going on a lot of walks, usually with my dog. I find it’s a great way to get some fresh air and clear your head a little bit – and the exercise is a great bonus. I also loved reading about your brother’s carnival birthday party! That sounds amazing! I’m sure he really appreciated it as well. It’s little things like this that mean the most right now, so I’m glad he was able to celebrate his seventh birthday.
How do you feel like you are adjusting to this “new normal”? What has been the hardest part for you? Are there aspects you’re appreciating?