Quarantine Is An Opportunity, Not An Obstacle
What are you capable of?
I still remember when the pandemic became real for me. The governor had just announced our state’s first stay-at-home order back in March.
What does this mean? Can I leave the house? Will grocery stores run out of food? A million questions suddenly flooded my brain.
After understanding what “stay-at-home” actually meant, my anxiety started to subside. I wasn’t going to starve. I could go to the trails and run. I could still order carry-out from (most of) my favorite restaurants. I would have to make adjustments, but ultimately I was going to be fine.
In the months since, I’ve come to an undeniable truth: quarantine and self-isolation are here to stay. At least until the vaccine is ready.
I’ve acclimated to this new normal quite well I think. I’ve gotten my work done, my writing in, and my workouts accomplished. I even dialed in my nutrition, leading to some chance weight loss.
But most importantly, I’ve had ample time to think, free of distraction. And I’ve thought a lot. About where I want to take my writing, how I want to expand my side business, and where my day job fits into my priorities. About my relationships with friends and family. About what I’m going to do once the world opens its arms to us again.
Our isolation is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, not an obstacle in the road.
I don’t mean to sound callous or indifferent towards the current global health crisis. I’m simply suggesting it’s not all doom and gloom. This is an opportunity to plant seeds for the future. A chance to slow down, take a deep breath, figure out what’s what, and apply focus accordingly.
And for me, it’s led to some amazing discoveries.
Writing and consulting have become full-time pursuits
Gone are my days rocking the 9-5.
Writing and fitness are my great passions in life, and I’ve decided to go all in. I’m convinced I can scratch a living blending the two. I also maintain a couple digital marketing consulting clients to make sure the rent gets (mostly) paid.
I’ve done the math, I know what it takes for me to survive while squaring a little money away for a rainy day. You won’t see me sailing the world on a mega yacht anytime soon, but that’s fine. I get seasick anyway.
I’ve fostered a consistent writing habit over the past eighteen months. I’ve built a nice little following here with this newsletter, and a growing publication over on Medium. I’m making progress on my website. I’ll have my first e-book out January 15th, 2021.
Constraint breeds creativity, and I’m feeling more creative than ever. My writing output has significantly increased. My engagement with my readers has increased. I have confidence I will achieve financial freedom in 2-3 years.
All possible because I’ve had the time these last several months to sit down and get s*** done.
I’ve reconnected with old hobbies
I have tepid memories of my childhood piano lessons — my parents prodding me to practice, the look of scorn from my teacher when I would show up unprepared, and my extended family insisting I play at every familial gathering (which I secretly loved, but don’t tell them that).
In October of last year, I bought the Yamaha P515B, an 88-key digital piano to help rekindle my desire to play. I had kicked the idea around for a while and finally took the plunge. It went exactly as I feared, with the piano quickly gathering dust in the corner of my apartment.
Thanks to my forced solitude, I seemingly can’t get enough. I’m playing a minimum of 60 minutes every day, mostly because I can. I’m at home. I have the time. I’m not bothered by restaurant reservations, sporting events or getting home late from a work happy hour.
I’m confident my love and desire for classical piano is back, and this time, for good.
WE are in control of what comes next
These are uncertain times, there’s no doubt about it. We’re being challenged physically, mentally and spiritually as our lives are turned upside-down by the pandemic. But in spite of the chaos, I remember that I am in control. I am my life’s captain. It’s up to me to determine how I survive and ultimately make it through these tough times.
The way I see it, people are dealing with being “stuck” at home in two ways:
Binging every Netflix show and watching every Amazon Prime movie. Buying enough video games to last a year. Skipping showers and never putting on real pants. Stocking freezers with frozen meals and stuffing pantries with toilet paper. Counting the minutes as they go by.
When the world opens back up, these people will be 30 pounds heavier and struggle mightily reintegrating themselves into the world.
The second group?
Reading. Writing. Working on side hustles. Nurturing productive hobbies. Communicating with friends and family over digital mediums like Zoom and FaceTime. Working out at home. Keeping a fairly consistent sleep schedule.
When the world opens back up, these people will be ready. They understand the world will be a different place, and will have no issue finding work or establishing themselves again. They will be ready to take on the day and take whatever life throws at them in stride. The sun on their faces will be a little warmer than they remember.
We all have a choice. What type of person are you?
Scott Mayer is a runner, thinker, curious observer and certified personal trainer.
