journal no. 002
One year ago I found myself on the dancefloor of Chop Suey with my friends, dancing the night away in a blurry, booze-filled haze (as we did most weekends) with not a care in the world.
What a difference a year makes.
The events that unfolded on March 23, 2020 (when our governor issued a statewide stay-at-home order that was intended to last only 2-weeks) are familiar to us all, but I wanted to reflect and share what this year has meant for me.
Without a doubt, the past twelve months have been both mentally challenging and emotionally exhausting. Adapting to a new version of normal took time, all while staying vigilant and fearful of an invisible virus.
Somewhere along the line, in the almost endless hours of introspection, I uncovered truths about myself that had been hidden underneath the surface of a lifestyle that had me too busy to stop and reflect. With so much of my social and personal responsibilities stripped away, I was finally face to face with myself.
I started to take stock in the things that made me happy: cooking with my friends, dancing in my living room, calling my family, and fighting for social justice. In focusing on those things, I realized that parts of my old lifestyle weren’t serving me or getting me closer to the goals I had set out for myself.
The one motivating force that has got me through this “unprecedented time” is human connection. I’m so thankful for the family and friends that I have, and I realized that it takes conscious action to cultivate those relationships in order to see them grow. Some of the memories that I have with my quarantine pod will stick with me forever, because those bonds were forged in darker days.
As we reemerge into society, I’ve become both anxious and excited for how I will live my life moving forward. No matter what happens next, I know I will try to act with intention, love with compassion, and live with purpose.
As you reflect on your own experience, I wanted to share some of the questions I asked myself:
How have I grown?
Who are my people?
What matters to me most?
What do I need to work on?
What do I want next?
