What I learned from having Covid

No matter what you do and how much you put yourself in a bubble, you are never 100% safe from the invisible virus. I had been doing everything I thought was correct, but in the end, it slipped in and got me.

There were no warning signs to let me know what was happening. The only things that showed up were a high fever and a feeling like a truck had just hit me, leaving me on the side of the road. Over 3 to 4 weeks, I dealt with fevers, fatigue, night sweats, body aches, coughing, and brain fog. Some of these effects still linger with me today.

I learned from this virus that I needed to stay on my “A” game, even with the illness.   Every day I made sure to walk 2 miles to keep my body functioning, even if it was at a snail’s pace.  I was making sure to eat and to stay hydrated as best I could.  I found it necessary to practice self-care throughout the day to recover. 

Here are three things that I did during COVID to help me make it through the virus and connect with myself again.

Unplug and Reflect

It would have been easy to leave the TV on or to listen to a podcast endlessly as I lay in bed at the beginning of Covid. I chose to make time to unplug from technology and the Internet for a couple of hours each day.  This time from technology allowed me to reflect on who I am and how I want to show up in the world.  It allowed me to ponder this statement and think about what I wanted from my life and work as I move forward. Sometimes, we move too quickly and do not take time to do the deep dives into who we are and what we want. Slowing down was one valuable benefit that I got from Covid, as I could not move or do anything. Life became a standstill at times.

Gratitude

I doubled down on my gratitude practice and made sure it became an everyday occurrence.       I focused on the three things in my life that I was grateful for.  I was incredibly grateful for was my family and friends who were there to check in on me to take care of me when I could not function. The practice of being grateful allowed me to open myself to accept help from others.  It also reinforced how grateful I was for all those people I have in my life who are there every day but whom I may not always appreciate.  Since my recovery, I have been practicing gratitude every day to increase my well-being and happiness for what I have in my life.

Mindfulness

Covid fog was something that had overtaken my ability to focus and to get things done.   I felt like my mind was constantly getting distracted by the “squirrel” outside.  It is still so easy for me now to lose focus.  Mindfulness has been helpful to get me back to where I am. I use a simple technique of focusing on my breathing in and out, in and out, and in and out over a minute to bring my mind back to the center.  This allowed me to focus on my work or to read at that moment.   I also used mindfulness when I started my morning, before I did my meditation which helped me to get centered and present.  One other way I have been doing mindfulness is at red lights, which helps me to focus my energy and attention.

These are three techniques that I have used to deal with Covid and the Covid after effects. I have to say that I am improving each day but do not know how long some of the effects will linger. Using these techniques has allowed me to be more focused and connected in my life with my family, friends, and clients. I hope that you can incorporate these techniques into your life to help you be more engaged and centered.