The Lock Down Story

Due to the global pandemic, lockdown was announced in India on 25th March 2020. As a responsible citizen , everyone was instructed to be home quarantined. So, it was just me and my husband locked at home. I always wanted to take a long leave and be at home. Just say ‘time please’ from this endless race of our daily busy schedules. And here it was, the pause that I always wished for.

Now when this lockdown started, we had no idea for how long it would continue. So initially for 4-5 days, I rested. As in, slept without alarm, cooked food and binge-watched many series. After that, I decided to deep clean my house. It was done in probably 9 –10 days. After so much of work, I again enjoyed some time for myself. I was okay for a couple of days but then I started feeling irritated. I used to get angry at petty things and emotional imbalance made me feel suffocated.

By then the lockdown was extended and all of us had an idea that this is going to be a long journey. So, as usual, one evening as I was just sipping my tea, looking at those uninhabited roads, a thought crossed my mind. Ever since I have started working, I wanted to have a long leave but that was not possible because we always had to keep spare leaves for emergencies. And finally, when I have got a long break, I am not utilizing it. There was a list of things I always wanted to do but could not make time for them. So I finally decided to do them all, to give time for myself, to make my lifestyle better. And I started working on them form the very moment.

Today it’s 31st May. 2 months and 5 days since we are quarantined. I speak to a lot of my friends and people around me. All of them say that they are bored and irritated at the core. But I am at ease now, neither bored nor irritated. I am happy and positive that this situation will also end.

We face multiple situations in life but what is important is to make the best out of it. I am contented that I have evolved into a better person than I was yesterday during this lock down period, and this process of evolution will continue forever.

I would love to share some of the good habits that I have inculcated in this period. Most importantly I have started exercising and meditating daily as well as practising a healthy lifestyle in terms of eating and sleeping patterns. I believe in this whole universe our body is the only element that lives with us forever and we should nourish it in all positive ways as much as possible.

Since childhood, I always thought that I am not good at art. But thanks to this quarantine period, as it has made me realize that I can paint. The output is not like super awesome, but it is beyond my expectations from the painter within me.

These days I make sure that I spare time to do things that I love like reading, painting, learning new things about art and the list goes on. I have recently developed interests in interior decors and planting, so I am exploring that part as well.

I love to be organized. I am not a messy person-like if you open my cupboard the pile of clothes won’t come to hug you. Rather you would find everything in its place. And the skill of being organized plays a vital role in one’s life. So, I have learnt this new method of tidying up from Mary Kondo during the quarantine period.

I am a very filmy person, so I have watched numerous artworks from the entertainment industry.

If we talk about dreams, I have a plenty of them. It’s like a carnival of dreams. So most importantly I have made a vision board which has all my dreams sorted along with timelines. So that my efforts would have a path.

Most importantly this quarantine has motivated me to execute a long-time pending plan of starting a blog. And here it is Ae Zindagi.

So, this is how I discovered happiness during the quarantine period. And I would make sure that in future too I would take such revitalizing breaks.

I once read a WhatsApp message that if you do not achieve anything in terms of personal goals even after the quarantine period, you haven’t completely utilized the time. As well as you have no right to complain that you didn’t had time for yourself because time was never the problem throughout, it was lack of willingness within you. And its cent per cent true. Throughout the hush-hush of our life, we always need ‘me’ time away from the buzz. A time which can be utilized for self-assessment. Self-assessment plays a key role in an individual’s life. We should know where the path we are walking on leads too. Is our journey in the right direction or not?

This quarantine period has created history, let’s take advantage of this historic time to create another history in our personal life. Do things you always wanted to do. Nurture your physical and mental health. Love yourself and be the best amazing version of yourself.