This is how the pandemic improved my mental health

When the world went into lockdown in March 2020, it became a turning point for me; I was forced to pause, take stock, and recalibrate. the pandemic, for all its calamity, discord, and devastation, also served as an eye-opener and gave me valuable insight into the fast-paced, distracted pace of our lives. Dealing with these crises has given me a whole new perspective, one that I will continue to use long after the pandemic is over.

Living through all the turmoil and uncertainty gave me clarity and shed light on what really matters; it became clear that health and safety take precedence over everything else. I had more pressing issues to worry about (my front-line worker husband and my three young children’s remote education), so I couldn’t muster the energy to worry about trivial things anymore, and it was absolutely refreshing. The size of your pants, your child getting more screen time, the dog’s muddy footprints — none of it is worth stressing about like you previously thought. The change of priorities and mentality was restorative.

Being in quarantine also forced me to reckon with my type A tendencies. I’m a planner through and through, and I thrive on routine and a strict schedule. I had to relinquish some of the control I held so dear and was forced to live from day to day, never knowing what tomorrow would bring. The change of pace was a boon to my emotional state. Without our hectic schedule keeping us in a frenzy, my never-ending to-do list dwindled and the demands of juggling work, activities, and school lessened.

Our days had little structure, so I finally gave in to the chaos and became a version of the laid-back mom I always dreamed of being. Elaborate forts were built, popsicles replaced carrots for snacks, and bedtime was loosened up. There were always three boys running around noisily like crazy; sometimes they wore pants and sometimes they didn’t. I hate to brag, but I even had a day at the spa, where the little kids rubbed, ahem, mystery potions (applesauce and ranch dressing?) into my hair and used a dinosaur to massage (I use the term loosely) my expensive.

Previously, a packed calendar was a hallmark of our family’s life and I had begun to resent it. I assumed that our busy schedule and extensive extracurricular activities would always be there because they always had been. In their absence, I began to miss them and the connections they brought, immensely. Only after they were removed did I truly understand and appreciate the value of community and the camaraderie we had with our multitude of sports, school, social and family activities.

It took those things to be taken away from me to make me recognize how much my life is enriched by spending time with others, both with those I am related to and with the partners I have chosen. Today, cheering on my son’s team in the stands with the other families, meeting neighbors at a block party, or attending a graduation feel like real privileges that I will never take for granted again. I am totally and forever grateful to be able to share this magnificent wildlife with such wonderful friends and family.

Previously, I felt an unspoken sense of competition with humanity in general. I always focused on what other people were doing and worried that I wasn’t doing as well. During the pandemic, everyone was in the same proverbial boat, which gave me more of a we’re all in this together mentality. I began to see my fellow humans as comrades rather than competitors in the rat race of who is living their best life.

The pandemic changed us all, for better or worse. Nearly three years later, as the spikes in COVID-19 continue to wax and wane and life as we knew it slowly morphs into an unfamiliar version of “normal,” I will strive to find ways to continue to be more accepting and foresighted about what is truly important. and remember and hold on to those lessons I was lucky enough to learn during the closures.

Now, when I start to feel overwhelmed and cranky from the stressors of the daily grind and the irritants that come with being alive or being a parent, all I have to do is remember when none of that was possible, and I immediately leads to a place of recognition and appreciation. Suddenly brushing my teeth or waiting in line to pick up school no longer feels like a burden.

It was only once I was forced to slow down and be quiet and still that the universe taught me how to persevere through this unique season of life and beyond. It turned out that this unhurried, empowering new mindset of gratitude was always there, dormant, waiting for me to discover the heady freedom it contained; it only took a global pandemic to convince him. And now that I have it, I’m sure I’m not going to give it up now.

Christina Crawford is a Dallas-based writer, guacamole enthusiast, and mediocre chef. Twitter: @xtina_crawford. He wrote this column for The Dallas Morning News.

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