Quarantine Update | Spring and Summer 2020
It’s been months since I last updated this blog and probably even more time since I posted on my Instagram. In fact, I’ve just begun to slowly get back into checking social media a bit more regularly. I took a much-needed break from it all. 2020 came crashing into all of us in a variety of (extremely difficult) ways and it seemed to come both all at once and in slow motion. Some days it seemed like streams of constant news were raining down and other days went by at a snail’s pace with no changes at all.
Olympics 2021
I felt both happy and sad that the Olympics were delayed. The news came a few days after I wrote my blog post on how frustrating it was to be in this hazy place, not knowing if I should keep training or let my body rest. Ultimately, it was a huge relief to finally have a clearer idea of the future in that sense, though who knows how things will play out as the rest of the year goes on. I was a bit down thinking of having to train one more year (I was hoping to retire after this year’s Olympics), but this experience will be worth it in the long run. Hopefully, the world doesn’t fall into even more chaos before then (fingers crossed).
The Ups and Downs of Productivity
I’ve spent my quarantine toggling between laziness and beating myself up for not being productive with all my new “free time” and having moments of ultra productiveness, finding or creating new projects to keep me busy and give me some sense of accomplishment.
I went to stay with my mom at the first inkling of things getting serious in the US, and it was probably one of the best decisions I’ve made. Being home with my mom and brother and getting to spend so much time with them has been one of the brightest spots in this whole pandemic. I’ve been here for about 4 months. That’s the longest I’ve been home to see them in 8 years. That sounds crazy when typed out, but true. It’s been nice to rediscover the connection and grounding that only the feeling of being in your childhood home can bring. I know it’ll be something that comforts and grounds me when I return to Syracuse and I try to find some semblance of a new routine in training and work.
I did a 30-day yoga challenge in the first month at home. Those brief moments of calm stretching and meditation helped to slow down the craziness of March and April, at least mentally. They felt like taking huge gulps of air to stop me from drowning in the seemingly never-ending sea of uncertainty and fear. I even managed to find the joy in taking walks. I’ve always been a ‘zero to one hundred’ type of person and running always seemed preferable to walking. But morning walks with my om and hikes on a couple trails have convinces me that there’s pleasure in taking things step by step
Thankfully, got rid of all the yellow in the living room.
Painted our kitchen cabinets for a slight face lift in the kitchen.
Spray painted the light fixture and patched that spot. Even the small errands made a world of a difference to me.
Things settled down a bit after that. I started tackling projects around the house - cleaning, organizing, painting most of the walls, and painting and installing handles to the kitchen cabinets. I love watching DIY videos and shows, so I had a blast working on things little by little. It’s really fun to see small changes here and there make such big differences in the space. Plus, I know my mom appreciates the developments. I think keeping up with these small renovations made a huge difference in keeping me sane during quarantine.
Fumbling for a New Routine
Nowadays, I’m really buckling down on training. I did a few workouts here and there to not feel like a sloth during quarantine, but nothing very strenuous or habitual. . I’ve got a pretty concrete pre-preseason plan from my coach and I’m getting my body back into the swing of things. Basically just trying to decrease as much preseason pain as possible by giving myself a more reasonable starting point.
To end this post, here are a few snapshots from the last few months. I can’t promise to post more frequently because I’m trying to prioritize my mental health and self-care as much as possible and sometimes (most of the time) that means taking a break from the imaginary deadlines and pressure I put on myself.
If you’re reading this, that means you’ve made it to the end! Thanks for sticking around. Hopefully you found some joys, big or small, during this time. If you’re up to it, I’d love to hear about them. It’s always awesome to share in the joy and happiness of those around me (even if it is through the Internet).
- Gemma
sharing is caring ♡
