I’m an Expert In….
Being an introvert
Being an introvert, living in a pandemic right after moving to a new city was a dream come true. Not knowing a single person in Denver meant not having to cancel plans I didn’t want to attend, or digging deep to find the energy that would fuel my spirit during family functions. I was able to hole up in my apartment and stay charged for an indefinite amount of time.
But like a battery being constantly charged, I soon realized that my constant isolation was actually harmful to my well-being. I began to feel depressed, unfulfilled, and lonely. I realized how many hobbies I didn’t have. My time on social media added up to an embarrassing number of hours a day as I watched others live seemingly happy, social, and productive lives.
They say “an idle brain is the devil’s workshop” and boy, did the devil get to work. During the the quietness of quarantine, I was subject to my own worst critique: I was lazy, undisciplined, I wasn’t gritty, and I didn’t contribute anything of value into the world. But I was up for the fight against my demons, and watched countless self-help videos on YouTube.
I struck gold: “Do one thing for a long time and see what happens.” Obvious, I know, but I hadn’t tried it — not for my own pleasure. So I first began writing. When I saw improvement there, I began painting too. I added on gardening, reading, cooking, and even started building a small earring business!
Isolation during a pandemic forced me to look long and hard in the mirror. I had to be honest about the parts of my life I wasn’t happy about, and define what I was going to do to change it. Taking control and pulling myself up by my bootstraps has created more meaning in my life, and I can say — I’m a much happier person for it.
