Thank You Quarantine
2020 was off to a great start wasn’t it? From the bushfires in Australia to the death of the legend Kobe Bryant and onto the spread of the Coronavirus, one thing is for sure, life is too short.
So when I lost my job and quarantine began, I knew it was a moment of rest for me and for everyone else. A time in history that we will never get back. A time to reset and do some of the things you have been meaning to do but never had the time.
The first two weeks of quarantine for me were great! I used to work at 6 a.m. so sleeping in and not waking up to an alarm was the dream. I tried to create a routine of some sort. Wake up, make a pot of coffee, get a home workout in. Most of my favorite trainers were offering Instagram LIVE workouts which were great and kept me motivated.
Quarantine also taught me some great financial lessons. I learned to bake and of all my disposable income went into food, which was also a great lesson to see where all my money was spent. Eating out all the time and going to restaurants definitely put a dent in the wallet. As those of you who work(ed) shift work can understand, it didn’t allow for ample time to plan my meals. I knew how to cook a few dishes here and there but quarantine certainly helped me be more creative and take risks when it came to trying new things in the kitchen.
Like everyone, I had so many New Year’s resolutions! Maybe start a side hustle, read more books, learn more about leadership, you know the usual. Don’t worry, I haven’t fully achieved any of those, and that’s okay. Quarantine was a time to really reflect on my achievements, how far I have come both in my personal and professional life, but also a time to grieve a chapter that I never thought would end. My love for working in hotels, working with people, being around people from different parts of the world was what I knew and loved. I started working in hotels when I was 19 and now at 30 losing my job to a pandemic was devastating. But as humans we learn to adapt, it’s in our innate nature to adapt to our surroundings, to push ourselves, to live outside our comfort zone and grow.
Growth - what do you consider your growth to be? For me it was learning more about myself, what I liked, whom I was attracted to, what type of people I wanted to spend my energy around and who deserves to be with Jenie. I quickly realized through quarantine that we were all craving human connections. As my friends were going through their own challenges and changes, I was forced to go outside my circle and put myself out there to meet more like-minded people. From my experience, when you put the effort into making a change in your life, the universe just brings you the right people and the right environment.
This might sound surprising to some of you, but I would say I have had the best summer of my time in Canada. I did things I never thought I would even have a chance to do. I kayaked, travelled to Tofino, went to many lakes, laid under the sun and experienced life care-free. I lived in the present and planned trips with friends. Losing my job was a blessing in disguise. A blessing I didn’t think I would appreciate so much. I took a few months off during quarantine before resuming the job hunt. I remember writing down the things I liked about my previous job and the things I wanted in my next place of employment. About a month later after applying to multiple jobs, I received one callback from an organization with similar values in the industry that I wanted to work in next. Trust the process, the universe will always provide for you. Thank you quarantine for allowing me to open up more, to continue looking at the positive side and to strive to be the best version of myself.