Well-Being While Being Alone

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 As life is constantly adjusting and throwing surprises my way, it is very important to me to be secure within myself, especially right now as we face COVID-19. As I sit in the house day after day unable to do much other than think my way though the day, I have done a lot of reflecting. I thought back on who I was this time last year, and realized I lacked a personal relationship with myself. I spent a lot of time alone, but didn't take the time to get to know myself and looking back, I see where that took a major toll on my life.

 That being said, I have taken advantage of our current situation as much as I can as I along with everyone else undergoes self-isolation. I have made it my goal to get to know myself and prioritize my mental and physical health as well as overall well-being. I have found hobbies beyond social media and Netflix which has made a huge difference on how I feel throughout the day. I have found music, art, and companionship to be the building blocks of my own well-being.

Here are a few of the things that have been keeping me sane and healthy while I am spending majority of my time alone:


MUSIC: Music has never been something I saw much value in in my own life, but that has changed drastically since undergoing self isolation. Here is a handful of songs I like to listen to when I am feeling low or alone, in need of company.

Let It All Work Out - Lil Wayne
Everybody's Gotta Live - Love
Jet Fuel - Mac Miller
Help On the Way - Grateful Dead
I - Kendrick Lamar
Octopus's Garden - The Beatles
Stay Still - Ronnie Laws
Think About It - Snoop Dogg
Time In A Bottle - Jim Croce
Bold As Love - Jimi Hendrix
Shooting Star - Bad Company

ART: I am not artistically inclined at all, or at least that's the mentality I held before this quarantine. I have discovered my love for painting things that already exist instead of a blank canvas which intimidates me beyond belief. Here are some mini art projects I have taken on recently which I have found to be extremely beneficial to my well-being as they keep me occupied for long periods of time and give me the opportunity to unplug for awhile.




COMPANIONSHIP: I am traditionally someone who remains alone and I have trouble building relationships and finding the companionship I crave. It has ironically been hard to spend so much time alone, but it has made me extremely grateful for the relationships I do have and hold so close to my heart. Here are some of the most important people in my life that contribute immensely to my well-being, plus I saw this as an opportunity to show off some of the amazing people in my life.





 Gratitude has been circling around my mind just about everyday and I would like to apply that value more into my everyday life. I am extremely grateful for my experience in this class as it has given me the opportunity to learn so much about myself and others. Gratitude contributes heavily to my well-being as it keeps me grounded and reminds me not to take my life for grated as it can be stripped away from you at any time, something we have all now experienced first hand as we had to leave school. Overall, I have found that my well-being does not come from just once place and I have found the importance in expanding my horizons and finding happiness in the little things. 😊


Comments

  1. OliviaMay 6, 2020 at 1:57 PM

    YOU HAVE A BUN TOO!!!!! What's their name? I can relate so much to the taking time to self reflect and know myself better. I feel like it was something I was so good at doing as a child, but now that I'm older I constantly starve myself of taking time to do so. It's funny how we don't tend to associate mental health with movement and exercise and I appreciate how you are trying to prioritize both. It's motivating for me to try and make a better effort, especially when school is over and I don't have mandatory movement classes. I love the artwork you are creating and the sneakers are gorgeous! Sorry this is such a haphazard comment but I absolutely love what you shared. It really made my day!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Christopher LongoMay 6, 2020 at 1:57 PM

    Aliza, thank you for this incredible post.

    I first must compliment your eclectic and great musical tastes! Including Hendrix, The Beatles, Kendrick Lamar, and Snoop Dogg is awesome!

    I believe you hit on something great, which is making the most of our time in Quarantine. You obviously possess such great talents for artistic creation, and I'm so glad this has allowed you to explore your expression. Like seriously, those shoes are awesome!

    I too am so grateful and privileged to have been a part of this class, and I am thankful to have been a part of it with you! I found your story during the Individual Values project to be incredibly powerful, and you displayed immense courage sharing it to the class. I also really enjoyed working with you during our first group project on Baldwin!

    Again, thank you for this post and for teaching me many valuable lessons throughout this semester! Stay safe and healthy! I hope you have an amazing summer!

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