New Habits developed in the #NewNormal

Written last September 2, 2020

As I compose this short writing, following the stay-at-home protocols, the number of confirmed infected individuals in the Philippines has expanded to more than 220k having 3.5k deaths. However, does it really reflect the real-time validity of data? 2020 has been such a roller coaster ride and a lot has been disrupted in just a short span of time that anyone did not even foresee. Different approaches and behaviors happened through the lives of Filipinos, which also greatly affected the economic sector of the nation.

As Pringle, M. quoted, “We cannot re-write the chapters of history already past, but we can learn from them, evolve and adapt. The new normal may even be a better normal, certainly a different normal”. I too certainly believe that we should accept and move forward with it. Yeah, easy to say, but no matter how slow you make, the very essence is that you make progress. Through the right mindset and attitude, one could rethink and reassess beyond the life that has given to us now is what truly matters.

So I’d like to ask you, what and how has this pandemic has brought into your life? in your family? or to your community? Perhaps that would fit into some challenges or either opportunity. Well, based on what I’ve encountered in social media, people are now learning new hobbies that they’ve never actually thought of. Some are able to reconnect with nature and plants, baked cakes and goodies with their folks, started to eat healthily, established small businesses, work on a remote basis, played new instruments, connected with old friends, etc. And with this unprecedented time, people have learned to adapt and to adjust slowly.

Resilient. That’s what I always thought of us Filipinos, that we are shaped to have an adaptable mindset. You see, we’re all challenged in this crisis but we’ve managed to overcome it, and make it even memorable. One of the highlights for me in this quarantine is that I found a really great hack that corporate folks are now creating a #newnormal ootd. Just recently, I found a hilarious picture of Sen. Zubiri on the LinkedIn platform who happens to attend a senate meeting virtually and is caught off guard wearing a formal suit and tie paired with household shorts! And that I think is now the new trend as most of the retail stores are massively offering pajamas and loungewear online. Crazy, but this now the #newnormal.

As for my case, it’s been really great so far. I’m able to have my me-time and probably thought of what might the future holds in me. I’ve dedicated my time learning courses with respect to my prospective career path. Through the free learning courses and webinars offered to students by the government, not-for-profit organizations, etc., I’ve learned how to value my TIME. Time in the sense of knowledge, personal growth, and of course with my family. It’s funny how I get to share this but I’m genuinely blessed that we’re all here in our home safe and sound. We’re like in the PBB House learning and understanding each other’s strengths and weaknesses every day — breaking each habit in a different perspective that kept us real sane. Likewise, I had tried to learn how to cook vegetables that I must say, I’m proud of! Perhaps in my case, small and little achievements earned in this quarantine are the happy moments that I really treasure on.

My family also decided to reconnect more with nature (whereas my mother is now recognized as one of the certified #plantita) through growing some of our own food and plants that would make our environment enticing and sustainable to mother nature. You see, even if there’s a pandemic, we tried to see the brighter side of it and not really make things harder for us in a way that would affect our mental and physical health. Through engaging with your loved ones, and being more open to communication, you’d totally flaunt it and embrace the uncertainties even more.

So my takeaway in this writing would be: We’ll never run out of uncertainties in life as we live in a complex world, and it would really depend on how we will cope and dwell with it. Life has so much to offer, enjoy it, seize it, and claim it!