Lessons from COVID
Hey guys! It’s been awhile since I’ve personally written a blog post so I decided to go ahead and connect with you all. As you know a lot has been going on. I have finally launched the Evolving Still products, including my new guided journal EDGE, but this launch did not come without stress and many lessons to learn. Like many of you, COVID-19 has changed so many aspects of my life. Between the news, the loss, the anxiety that COVID has produced, it is easy to feel consumed by this pandemic. This blog post is to shine a little light on the lessons that COVID has brought me , despite all of the negativity that we are constantly exposed to.
COVID-19 has reminded me of the importance of adaptation. I am a planner by nature, so you can imagine the anxiety I felt when planning no longer made sense because of the great unknown we have been facing. As a new business owner, I made many first time mistakes and the coronavirus did not let up! Between my mistakes and companies simply not being able to produce, I felt like I was losing my mind. When business owners say just expect things to go wrong . . . THEY AREN’T LYING because that’s exactly what happened. Initially, I planned a huge launch party that would take place on my birthday weekend. Most of the planning was already done and Ms.Rona did not care one bit. After months and months of planning, I had to swiftly change my launch plans to be online rather than in person. I had to recruit one of my oldest friends to help produce a “quarantine” photoshoot instead of the location marketing shoot I had planned. It was literally madness. And on top of my business having to adjust I had three different MCAT dates cancelled! Now if you have studied or know someone who has studied for this exam you can imagine the amount of stress I was in. As my life flipped upside down I simply had to adapt to every situation, and adapt to it quickly.
Additionally, COVID-19 reminded me to take time for myself. It forced me back into my “self-care” routine. While studying I hardly had time to practice self care outside of Evolving Still. This platform had become my form of self care, but when planning went wrong I was forced to find another outlet. Evolving Still was no longer my escape from my stress because it had become stressful as well, so I was forced to go back to my old tricks and really practice what I preach. I painted, I prayed, I journaled, I went to teletherapy, and probably most frequently I phoned a friend. Whether it was just calling someone to get my mind off of things, checking in to make sure everyone was healthy and in the house, or having to ask for help in brainstorming, my village, as always, showed up in a phenomenal way and for them I am truly grateful.
Last but not least, COVID-19 has served as a reminder that literally anything can happen. When I was so caught up in my plans being cancelled I wasn’t really trying to hear alternative plans. I was devastated by my plans being ruined, on top of just being sad and confused about everything that was happening in the world. Despite my devastation I just kept moving forward every day and things began to exceed my expectations. Never would I have thought that something as morbid and depressing as a pandemic would have lessons for me to learn, but then again literally anything can happen! Of course there is still some darker days but as I remind myself of how great God is and how blessed I am, the sun seems to shine brighter and things just seem to happen even when it wasn’t my plan nor intention. Sometimes what we plan for is not the best and we need a bit of a disruption for things to fall into place how they are supposed to. My advice to you is to not get discouraged, this journey is not meant to be a straight line and just because you can’t see or touch it, doesn’t mean that things are not happening. So despite all of the stress of this pandemic, I am grateful for the lessons it has offered me.
Dealing with your mental health daily can be a lot so trust me when I say that I understand the plethora of emotions you may be feeling. I totally understand if you are side-eyeing me for talking about the lessons I’ve learned during this crazy time. For some of us, this pandemic has slowed things down, others of us may feel like we are missing out on monumental events. Not to mention many of us dealing with huge losses and others who are essential workers and are literally risking their lives and the lives of their loved ones to help. I understand 100%. Our struggles are not equal. Our circumstances are not the same but, one thing that we all are most likely to have in common during this time is a lot of different emotions. One very common emotion we may be feeling is anxiety. Nothing can raise your anxiety levels like a pandemic! These feelings are super valid and need the space to be felt in your life. It is important not to suppress your feelings just because they are negative but give them room and space to simply be. It is only then that you will be able to focus on gratitude, which if you did not know, has been proven to decrease anxiety and improve overall mood. Once you allow yourself this space, I am sure you also can find your lessons in the struggle.
Talk to you soon,
Eboni