I was on my 5th hour of Money Heist and decided to plan a heist out of my apartment. Riding the elevator down, I stared up at the mirror on the ceiling. I felt my heart began to sink.
The distractions had worn off. I was alone.
I walked into my lobby and saw a couple with a Corgi sitting, laughing. I walked through the construction across the street, down the road to the cloudy 7:00 pm bay.
Walking on the path by the water, I passed a family holding hands with their two teeny toddlers.
I spotted a bench and sat down.
Scribbling down my feelings into some sort of poem on my phone, I plugged in my headphones to block out the world.
Three groups of girls glare viciously at me as they walked by.
A homeless person with a huge backpack weighing him down sauntered by.
I dramatically gave up my poem and ran. I ran past the homeless man, I ran past the innocent girl group, I ran past the family.
Then, I went home.
Loneliness is like fight club. No one talks about fight club.
It creeps off the tongue like the word “moist.”
But during COVID-19, being lonely is the new black. It’s so prominent it may be trending on Twitter.
Everyone is stuck in their homes. Some people are starting a whole new job online. Some are beginning school online.
I began a new school online and a new move under quarantine.
But ultimately, loneliness is a part of life and you can’t escape it. But there are ways to live your everyday life with acceptance.
Kayla’s Tips To Staying Sane
- Take a day off social media
- Go for a run or walk every single day outside
- Pick somewhere to walk that you constantly drive to
- Find an entertaining show that keeps you motivated
- Find a show to fall asleep to
- Cook as much as you can
- Cook healthy food (feeling good in your body makes you mentally feel good)
- Take a bath and read a book
- CLEAN
- Work out (Instagram Live workouts are the best)
- I recommend @lexfish on Instagram, her saved Instagram live videos are everything (especially her everyday 15-min abs)
- Another really great trainer is Lindsay Harrod @lindsayharrod has a great leg and arm day videos that are fun and challenging
- Imagining every day as an adventure
- Every errand as an adventure
- Go to Trader Joes as much as you can or if you feel worried about Covid-19, check out a locally social distanced farmers market
- Stretch, meditate, breath
But let’s be real, I am trying to take my own advice. COVID-19 is difficult for everyone. Quarantining with people, being around the same people 24/7, being alone 24/7, and at the end same time, finding a sense of balance to be productive and happy.
A sense of optimism is what we need in this time.
Just remember, the world is running together through this lonely era.