Self-Reflection

Hey everyone!

I hope you are all doing well and are safe at home!

Here is my self-reflection about what I’ve been doing for myself and others:

1.) What is something you did for your body?

During the first couple of weeks of being at home, I didn’t do much to stay active if I’m completely honest. However, quite quickly, I felt the effects of being inactive on my body, so I decided to make a change. The first thing I did is dig up my bike from the back of my garage and go for bike rides several times a week. It had been so long since I’d ridden a bike that I thought I’d forgotten how to! Luckily, I hadn’t, and it was really nice to get some fresh air every now and then (while social distancing of course!). Then, I started to think about things I could do indoors to stay active and I came across workout videos on YouTube. For the past week, my mom and I have both been doing 20-30 minutes of these workout videos every day to keep us active while being at home. I know that these actions have been benefiting me because I can feel the difference already! I don’t feel groggy anymore, I’m sleeping better, and it feels great to be able to motivate myself and each other to exercise.

2.) What is something you did for your mind?

For my mind, I’ve decided to try new things as much as I can and get back into old hobbies. The first thing I did was dig up my old middle school tie-dye kit and tie-dye some old clothes I had lying around. They turned out really nice and it was a great activity for that day. Really rewarding too! I also started to teach myself the ukulele again. I bought one last summer because I always lacked musical talent and had heard that it was a pretty simple instrument to learn on your own. I practiced quite a bit during the summer, but when school started again, I let it go pretty quickly. So, during this quarantine, I’ve practiced old songs and taught myself new ones. My current activity is learning how to use a sewing machine. I’ve started out by altering some ill-fitting clothes, and now I’ve moved on to making new clothes from fabric! I’ve realized a trend with all these activities and that is that keeping my hands busy with a new activity benefits my mind greatly. These activities have been really beneficial for my mind as they have released a lot of stress and just generally let me let go of some anxiety and angst I was beginning to build up. Plus, I get to practice some skills and find new hobbies, so it’s a win-win!

3.) What is something you did for your happiness?

I’d say the main thing I did for my happiness is baking. I’ve always had a love for baking, but I never really had enough time to do it consistently. So, I decided to get back into it with all the time I have now. I started off by making peanut butter cookies which my dad really enjoyed, but I wasn’t the biggest fan of them. Then, I made apple turnovers (with homemade pastry dough!) which were both really fun to make and really delicious. But, the ultimate goodie that I made was maple pecan scones. My family adored these – which is why so far, I’ve made 48 of them (6 batches). My mom says they’re the best scones she’s ever had which definitely made me happy. Baking, in general, has served as a great pastime for me during quarantine and has allowed for some “me-time” which is why I’m considering it as something I’m doing for my happiness. Another thing that my family did for our happiness is we started having a game night. Once a week, or more if we feel like it, we sit down after dinner and play a game as a family. So far, we’ve played scrabble a few times and we completed a 300-piece puzzle together. Spending quality time like that with my parents is definitely something I do for my own happiness.

4.) What is something you did for someone else?

Because my parents loved my scones so much, I decided to make a couple of batches for my aunts and uncles and left them at their front door. They really enjoyed them, and it made me really happy that something I brought joy to someone else. I’ve also been trying my best to help out around the house more – especially now that my parents have gone back to work. In my house, we don’t have chores or allowance or anything of the sort; it’s everyone’s responsibility to contribute. But, now that I have some more time on my hands, I’ve been taking up more responsibility with the hopes that I can lessen my parents’ stress and worry a little bit. Some things I’ve been doing are doing everyone’s laundry, helping out much more in the kitchen, and other various tasks around the house. My parents have let me know that they really appreciate it which is nice to hear. I’ve also been stopping by each of their offices and dropping off tea and coffee every now and then which always brings a smile to their face. Generally, doing these things for other people relates to my own happiness as well!

Hope you enjoyed reading! Stay safe! Stay home!