As the coronavirus makes its way around the world, many gathered at their dinner tables this Thanksgiving weekend wondering, what is there to be thankful for? All thanks to the pandemic, traditions have been broken, families scattered, and businesses continue to struggle. Some may say it’s the worst year of their lives, but for others, there are still many reasons to be thankful.
Money for meals and money for bills. With fewer people going out and spending money, it’s been hard for some businesses to pay their staff, leading to increased unemployment rates. Having a stable job during this time to pay for food and shelter is one less worry for you and one big reason to be thankful.
Safer, with health benefits. For those with the flexibility to work from home, it is definitely a safer option that reduces contact with those outside of your household – a great way to contribute to the community by slowing the spread of the virus. Plus, it’s a great excuse to upgrade your home office to an ergonomic workspace now that you’re spending so much time at home! To start off, I’ve gotten a desk riser and will be getting an ergonomic keyboard and mouse as well.
Back to the basics. Thanks to the internet and phones, families and friends are able to stay connected without leaving their homes – it’s something we seem to take for granted nowadays. I can’t imagine waiting days for a letter to arrive in the mail or having to go to the grocery store to pick up a newspaper just to read the latest news around the world! Creativity comes into play once you get tired of all the video games you have at home. We can now exercise our brains and rest our eyes as we find other ways to entertain ourselves without screens.
House becomes home. Having spent more time inside your house, it’s no longer a place where you just eat and sleep – it’s a place where you spend most of your day. Furniture has been shifted around and your house reorganized to provide the most comfortable environment. Whether you are working or resting, you can be at peace in your home.
Interests become hobbies. Using the time that is typically spent sitting in traffic or driving from one place to another, you can now learn that instrument or cook that dish you’ve always wanted to try. There are many skills that we can learn and improve on with the additional time we have at home!
Me time. Events are held online and hangouts are more rare, which means there are fewer distractions. This is the perfect time to get into the habit of setting aside time in your busy schedule to reflect on yourself and your life, and think about how you can make it better!
Life is not complete without a few challenges. It may be challenging to get through this time of the pandemic, but it’s not every year you will be presented with a challenge like this. The pandemic is an experience to remember and learn from.
What are you are thankful for this Thanksgiving weekend?