Pandemic good time for self-reflection

“The biggest challenge for me has been having to stay indoors and only going out when needed. I’m a very social person. I love to interact with people and experience things with friends like new restaurants and concerts. But I have grown to like time to myself to self-reflect, which I’ve done a lot. I’ve also started sewing and bike riding.

“I do legal work for a tech company. It wasn’t easy transitioning to working from home, but I’m very grateful for it. We’ll play games after meetings, and sometimes I’ll have video calls with coworkers during lunch.

“Because I was trying to avoid going to gyms while maintaining some form of movement, I bought a standing desk and under-desk treadmill. There was a solid week or two when I just went from my bed to sitting at my desk in the corner of my room, and then back to my bed. So it was a nice addition to my routine and has provided me with a good amount of endorphins.

“I haven’t gotten any notice about going back to our office. It’s not permanent, but everything is still up in the air. I’m grateful for the promotion I obtained recently. It was interesting to see my peers and managers notice my hard work without actually seeing me in person.

“Having lost some family members, holidays are hard enough, and this pandemic doesn’t make things easier. But with some small victories like catching up with old friends and taking up new hobbies, I’ve seen some light during this time.”

— Cynthia Pizana