In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take.
It’s been one year since the pandemic happened. Truthfully, I can’t believe that we are still walking outside with masks on. The last thing that I remember doing right before the lockdown happened was going to Femme Fatal DC with my friend to cover a story. It was an assignment for my audio storytelling class and I felt like a true journalist. Recording, interviewing people on the spot, and sharing that experience with a close of mine. I can’t do that anymore. We all can’t do things that we love to do anymore.
During the pandemic, I’ve had time (too much time) to think to myself. Thinking about my future, career goals, life goals. But more importantly where I want to be. Not writing for a few months took a damper on things. But thinking back to the start of this blog, I wanted to write about my self-journey and share my life lessons with y’all. On this anniversary of the pandemic, I’ve learned a lot about life.
One thing that I learned during the pandemic that it is okay to stay still for a moment. And no I don’t mean to stand still in one spot. Rather, it’s okay if things aren’t progressing the way that you want them to go. I know it doesn’t sound too uplifting, but trust me. Jobs and internships have slowed down since the pandemic, and if you are in a small field like journalism, the competition got more competitive. It is okay if you aren’t getting the job or the internship that you wanted. That just means that you have more time to work on your craft so that way each application that you are sending out keeps on getting better and better.
Another thing that I learned during the pandemic is that I learned about my body. Let’s be honest here. Most of us gained a few pounds since we’ve been home and now that a new summer is around the corner, we are all doing what we can to lose the pandemic weight. Over this past year, I have been working out 24/7. From March 2020 to March 2021, I have over 5,583 minutes of working out, 465 minutes of working out per month, over 25 workouts a month and I feel fantastic. And at this point, it’s not even about losing weight. It’s about being healthy and staying active. I’m doing yoga, my body is being more flexible. I’m feeding my body more organic and healthy food. Our bodies are our temples, and we need to treat them right.
But more importantly, I learned that family, above all else, is the most important. In my self-journey, I keep on wondering who is going to be there for me when things get hard. Who will I fall back on when I’m having a panic attack or a mental breakdown? It’s family. They might get annoyed with you, but family is always in your hearts. But remember that family doesn’t mean blood-related. Family can be friends, cousins, neighbors, pen pals from across the world even. It is very important to feel like you are not alone during these times, and I can guarantee you that one of your family members, one of your friends is going through the same thing that you are.
It is important to remember who we are during these times. Think back to the beginning of the pandemic versus now. How have you changed? Where did you grow as a person? And what have you learned about yourself? Where has your self-journey taken you thus far? For me, the journey isn’t over, it’s just beginning.
-Nadine Bourne
Nadine Bourne's Blog 