things that have helped me stay sane throughout the lockdown

- January 10, 2021

The whole coronavirus and lockdown situation has been extremely hard for everyone, with everything happening in and around us, especially for individuals who belong to a family with toxic beings. It can be beyond draining to be around or in the same room as them all the time, not to mention the media and negativity on there too.

These are some things that I did and developed a habit of doing that helped me get through hard times, helped me stay calm & composed, and hence the only reason for me to put this blog out there is hoping it might help you in some way if you're not necessarily having a good day, or even just feeling low.

Selfcare: When I say self-care, I don't mean putting on a facemask and drinking a glass of wine, which is exactly the image that instantly pops up in our minds when we think of self-care. It is actually very subjective, the things that bring me peace might turn out to be even more exhausting for you, for example, cooking or cleaning. So find out what brings you joy and do more of it when you need a little pick-me-up on days that seem a little more harder than others. Something that also helped me was making a list of things that were associated with the feeling of happiness or that made me feel good, it could be the smallest action of painting your nails or listening to a certain artist, watching a certain show/YouTuber, lighting candles, taking a bath, etc. and then making sure you include at least one of these things in your day.

Meditation & Breathwork: Selfcare doesn't have to be material-centric or an external practice, It can be as simple as just sitting silently and focusing on breathing. This is something that I've been practicing for a couple of months and it has helped me maintain my peace and keep my focus on the things that matter more than the small inconveniences that very easily can ruin the whole day.

Journaling: Journaling does not have to be writing down your plans, planning your days and weeks, or keeping a track of your habits. If you're feeling overwhelmed or your mind is cluttered with too many things and it's hard to concentrate on the outside world, this is when you use journaling as a way of emptying your head and dumping the clutter in your journal, it sounds ridiculous but it works wonders.

Pinterest and Spotify: Yes, Pinterest can be very therapeutic if you know how to use it and get a hang of it. For me, there's nothing like having a cup of coffee in the afternoon, scrolling through Pinterest while I have music playing in the background!

Podcasts: Me from 6 months ago would have been terrified with the idea of listening to two people talk for an hour or more, even if it was about fashion or makeup. But lately, I've been addicted to self-help podcasts, although I do increase the playback speed! They are the most convenient source of abundant knowledge and information! I'll link some of my favorites below.

Lo-fi/Slowed & Reverbed songs: These were my little secret like three something years ago when I first discovered them. This, in my opinion, is the best type of music to listen to when you're working or multitasking. You won't get caught up in your feels (unless you are listening to the Bollywood versions) or be distracted at all, keep them playing in the background and they will make your tasks feel calming and smooth.

Human Interaction: As appealing as it sounds to be buried in your bed with food & an internet connection for days as if you're hibernating, I cannot stress enough how important it is to talk to your friends or cousins or anyone close to you on-call or in-person (with proper safety measures of course), and no, sharing memes or texting does not count!!

Stop doing things that drain you: Do yourself a favor and stop doing things that keep draining your energy. Believe it or not, social media is the easiest form of doing that. Stop stalking and constantly going back to the pages or profiles that make you feel bad, they don't feed your mind, and that doesn't help you in any possible good way. Don't Indulge in drama or gossip, it truly doesn't do you or anyone else any good. It just cultivates negativity.

Learn to set boundaries: This was my biggest achievement of 2020 and I so wish I learned about it earlier in life! What does setting a boundary mean? It means exactly what it sounds like, to communicate your limits and guidelines, In the nicest way if possible, It means to protect your peace, to stop people from taking advantage of your kindness. And if a certain individual in your life doesn't understand boundaries, It might be time to reconsider their place in your life. You need to have a certain set of boundaries for everyone in your life including yourself.