Hi Lovelies, it’s been an unpredictable and unprecedented time and I would like to congratulate you all on the amazing work you’ve done so far. The world has shifted and during this quarantine we are all forced to look deeper within and slow down.
This has been a season of reflection and transformation. A cocoon season, if you will- and hopefully I can exit this symbolic chrysalis as a lovely butterfly ready to spread my wings.
This challenging period has given me some valuable insights that I’d love to share as “Lessons learned in Quarantine“.
💎1st Quarantine gem:Letting Go and Letting God
I had to learn that, during this global pandemic, I would not have all the answers and that I had to surrender.
Surrender to God’s will and to the flow of things. We are living in unprecedented times and no one really knows what’s next.
The best we can do is take things one day at a time and trust that God is in control.
“I may not know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future”.
💎 2nd Quarantine gem: Eating healthier and daily cooking is not that hard.
Hello. My name is Claudrine. And I’m a recovering Uber Eats addict.
Well. Now that that’s out the way, let’s just say that this quarantine has definitely forced me all the way back in the kitchen and staying a bit longer in the fruits & veggies aisles. I had to realize that cooking isn’t a chore and it’s actually a past time that can be fun actually rewarding. Almost like making art. Art that you can indulge in – and there are no rules but the ones you set. I’ve been avoiding chocolate and turned my diet into a mucus-blasting & immune system-boosting diet.
I’ve also been enjoying more fruits and steaming the peels into a potent herbal concoction to help with respiratory cleansing. Thankful for this time of reconnecting with food in a healthy way.
It’s been amazing.
💎 3rd Quarantine gem: Time is a social construct (What day is it anyways?)
As the days go into nights and the cycle continues, I’ve had to wonder… What is time? Not only I would lose track of the days but I’ve also felt the need to not care that much about it. Because truly what is time? How are we supposed to structure our days when we’re all at home with nowhere to be?
It also made me go through my pictures and see how time flies. How fast life comes at you with surprises and twist and turns.
I know more than ever the importance of time and how fleeting it is. Many have lost loved ones during this tragic time and I’ve lost a friend who was so strong just days before. It’s still hard to talk about it so I will be brief: time is precious. Don’t waste it. Cherish every second. Wherever you are. Whatever is happening. It’s the one thing we can never get back.
💎 4th Quarantine gem: Always Have an emergency plan ready (ressources, food, contacts/numbers, medical kit)
This is essential, crucial, vital even. Before this situation I had never had these difficult talks with myself. But during times of crisis, it’s important to be responsible and vigilant. To set up a list of emergency contacts. To have a first aid kit on deck.
To have your apartment ready in case of a power shortage. To have some cash on you in the event of banks having a shut down or you no longer having access.
I also learned a lot about my family during a global crisis. There were ups and downs getting to the doctor, going to the pharmacy, going grocery shopping, eating in portions. I even sent a message to my family group chat with an order of Quarantine: “PREPARE PREVENT PROTECT”. 🚨 It was a pretty detailed “protocol” of preventive measures against viral exposure and contamination.
This unique moment in History came about so swiftly that many had no time to prepare. It’s been difficult thinking of all the things we had to rush to buy and the subsequent shortages and other consequences of social distancing. Not to mention the grocery stores being a hub for the virus. It’s been a lot. But I had been preparing for something like this for some time now. Back in January I talked to my parents about saving money, non-perishable foods and felt that something was coming. It’s my intuitive side. But the lesson it’s taught me is to be more hands-on and proactive. Not wait until things happen. I believe that can never be too prepared and share the same sentiments as this Time Magazine article.
I’ll leave you with two sayings that this quarantine has definitely underlined for me:
-Victory is in the preparation.
-Prevention is better than cure.
💎 5th Quarantine gem: Mental health practices and setting boundaries are vital.
My final lesson and probably the most important was this one.
I saw a meme that went viral. That basically said that if you don’t come out of quarantine with a Fortune 500 company idea or a multiple income stream business plan- forget it. And it’s like, dude… Did you not realize were in the middle of a global pandemic and people are literally dying?
In this post I had to share my opinion on such sentiments and the feedback was very positive. Post:
Feedback: 
So no, during a world health crisis, I will not put added pressure on myself to be the next Warren Buffet. What I will do though, is implement healthy coping mechanisms to deal with the traumatic experience of such a global crisis.
I’ve been able to pray and meditate more. It’s been delightful to have the time I would not otherwise have to study my Bible more and actually have the opportunity to share my testimony.
Since everything is shut down, I’m able to not be distracted and really feel my emotions and hone my emotional intelligence skills.
Furthermore, this is a time when setting boundaries is essential, even though we a physically apart. The virtual assault of over information, extreme messaging, group chat notifications, emails, onslaught of Instagram lives and having everything blast at once, can feel like another type of viral overload.
Technological viral overload that is. So I decided to take some days off and just say ‘No’.
No, I can’t do a Zoom today. No I can’t FaceTime right now. I’m sorry we’ll have to reschedule, I’m having a “mental pause day”. Or “I’m taking the rest of the week off to work on me and indulge in self-care”. If you can do it, do it.
And it’s been great. Energy vampires exist and even during a pandemic they can be even more viscous. Identify and Nullify.
Establishing Healthy boundaries in your life is important and vital. They will set the tone for your exchanges and how your relationships evolve.
Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk!
I hope these little gems were helpful!
What about you? Share your “Quarantine Lessons” below🌸
XO-
Claudrine
