During quarantine, stop stressing and start appreciating - Gratitude Part 2

Quarantine has got us all on edge, I know, but for me, it's been starting to take a toll on my psychological well-being. The pandemic is not a joke. We have to take this lockdown seriously, yet it's not easy. I'm used to working, doing many things during the day, going out, and being free, and having all this change suddenly was not a piece of cake. I know, I'm not the only one who's in lockdown and we're all definitely going through our own worries and mood swings and stress, but being in quarantine mode has seriously put me under too much pressure, more than I can handle. 

     For one, I had a whole lot on my plate: online teaching, learning to cook because I was too worried to order food during the pandemic, dealing with the needs of a toddler, as well as having the house chores done. My husband and I had been working hand in hand during this period to get everything in order, yet I managed to add more stress to my life and broaden my to-do list during quarantine, and that's exactly what I should NOT have done. Since I was home during this lockdown, I simply thought this was the perfect time to get a few more things done: wean my son off the pacifier, wean him off the milk bottle at night, work on my thesis, watch more movies, blog more, lose weight, clean all the house, make my son eat his meals... All this made me feel incapable, miserable, angry, and physically and mentally tired. 

     Truth of the matter is, I'm not incapable and I'm not a failure, but it took me a while to realize this because being in quarantine is already too stressful and messes with our thinking. I'm not going to be hard on myself even more now and feel guilty about this. Rather, I'm learning to accept that there are advantages to this lockdown. Quarantine is never a nice thing and you're probably wondering what advantages there could be to a lockdown! However, here's what I've discovered and achieved during this period, and for that, I'm grateful. 

1. During quarantine, I got to spend more time with my son, who needed me. We ate together, played together, he learned new things, and we bonded as a family, and that's absolutely great - something I'm totally grateful for. 

2. I learned to cook, and guess what? I discovered I was quite good at it. I never would have learned if it weren't for this lockdown. 

3. We saved money because we weren't going out as much, and that's something that's totally required during this economic crisis. 

4. I decided to let go of unnecessary tasks and focus on priorities. Let the rest be done when the time is right. For example, I didn't need to add the stress of weaning my one-year-old off the pacifier now during this already stressful lockdown. 

5. I'm doing a good job caring for my son. He's growing, he's happy, he's learning new things, and that's what matters. If that day he doesn't eat as much as required, that's ok. He'll eat when he's hungry. 

6. I'm getting the most important house chores done at least. The rest can wait. I don't have to fret over the rest. 

7. I managed to reduce my son's night feedings to just once at night and in just two nights, which is great. He used to have three feedings at night, but right now, he either has a bottle before he sleeps, or he feeds at midnight and sleeps through the night. This has automatically improved his eating habits during the day. 

So with those humble accomplishments, I feel much more worthy, capable, and grateful, and it was part of my resolutions to be more grateful for this year, despite the fact that this year has not started off well. Also, as promised, I have made it an attempt to post something about being grateful throughout the year, and this is my second post on gratitude. I intend to truly carry on with those gratitude posts throughout the year. You can check my previous post on gratitude here.