In the past year and a half, the lives of people around the world have drastically changed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. People had to follow health protocols like wearing a face mask and social distancing whenever they were out in public. Most had been stuck at home at one time or another in the past months. And many had to sacrifice not seeing their family and friends in person.
Yes, a lot has changed in the past 18 months or so, but this doesn’t mean that all the changes have to be negative. It’s up to you to make positive changes in your life so that you can come out of the pandemic a better version of yourself. Take a look at three ways you can do this.
Take care of your health
A surefire way to become a better version of yourself is by taking good care of your health. If you’ve got this covered, then good for you. But for those of you who still haven’t gotten around to taking better care of your health, start now. Begin with your body. Exercise regularly and watch what you eat so that you can reach and maintain your ideal weight. Don’t worry if you feel that you can’t do this on your own. There are weight management facilities that you can go to for professional help.
Aside from your body, you should take care of your mind too. Get enough rest and quality sleep, which are also necessary to have a strong and healthy body, to give your mind a break and a chance to recover. It’s also important to find time to meditate, reflect, or just be alone with your thoughts once in a while. You likewise have to make time, ideally every day, to do the things (e.g., reading or taking a warm bath) that relaxes you. And perhaps the most important of all, make sure you have someone—family, friends, or even healthcare professionals—you can talk to about your feelings or anything at all.
Learn a new skill
Whenever you learn something new, you’re definitely improving yourself. Make good use, then, of any free time you have, especially if you’re staying at home, by learning a new skill. And the good thing about learning a new skill? It allows you to kill two birds with one stone: adding to your skill set and keeping boredom at bay. It’s a pretty good way to spend your free.
When it comes to choosing the skill you want to learn, pick one that truly interests you or one that can open doors for you. Better yet, you should choose one that can do both things for you. Maybe you’ve always been fascinated with the Japanese language because you love anime. You can learn Japanese, then, to enjoy watching your favorite anime without subtitles. And once you get a good command of the language, you can moonlight as a Japanese translator, interpreter, or tutor and earn some extra cash!
Improve your relationships
Finally, become a better you by improving your relationships with people. You might have limited interactions with people now, so start with the ones in your own home—your family. And one great way you can improve your relationship with your family is by spending quality time with them. If your family no longer eats meals together, for example, bring back the tradition. Instead of retreating into your own rooms during your free time, why not do things together as a family? You can binge-watch on Disney Plus or Netflix, play Fortnite or Minecraft, or take on a DIY project together as a family.
Of course, you shouldn’t forget about your relationships with the people not living with you. If you had a falling-out with a family member or friend, be the one to offer an olive branch to get your relationship back on track. Your sister, who’s living overseas, will surely appreciate getting regular video calls from you. A simple thank-you or good-job note from you will go a long way toward making a coworker feel appreciated. You can even improve your relationship with strangers! You never know—your kindness might just be the difference between a stranger having a good day and a bad one.
Be a Better Version of Yourself
The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed people’s lives. The changes, however, need not only be negative ones. Remember that you have it in you to make positive changes in your life so that you’ll come out of this pandemic a better version of yourself.
