One Year Later: Shelter-in-Place Photo Diary
Today marks the ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY of working from home and sheltering-in-place. Personally, I have adapted well to pandemic-life (#introvert) but it has also been a very tough year. Covid has caused so much death (over half a million in the U.S. alone!) and destruction and stress. I truly don’t know what “normal” will ever look like, and I’m afraid I’ve seen too many true colors.
It does feel like things are looking up. Cases are going down, vaccines are being distributed (albeit poorly) and spring is coming, which hopefully means more patio dining and comfortable outdoor hangs. I’m having a bit of pandemic-related anxiety and not sure how much I want to return fully back to normal. I’m glad to be moving into warmer months where I’ll have some time to adjust. That being said, I’m now fully remote for the foreseeable future. (A decision I’m quite happy with.)
This is my pandemic year in photos. I’m not going to lie, it’s been really fucking weird. I’m conscious about the toxic positivity surrounding the idea of “thriving in a pandemic”, but I also want to note that it has been a solid year of reflection and an opportunity to slow down and change some habits. I’ve also been drinking more than I’ve ever drunk in my life, so it’s not all SUNSHINE, LOLLIPOPS, AND RAINBOWS.
MARCH 2020
This was the day after my office shut down “for the week” and I expected to go back to work on the following Monday. My training was cancelled so I called up Kathy and we took our dogs to the woods! I thought it was a little vacation. Look at those maskless faces!
This was on the 20th when work got shut down “for another few weeks” and the Covid anxiety/uncertainty started to get to me and my pals. The nightly glass/bottle of wine had commenced.
The anxiety was real and the only things that got me through were M&M’s for breakfast, Billie, and lifting up to 10lbs total with those home weights.
EVERYTHING WAS CONFUSING and I was not ready to be productive and resilient yet.
My new co-workers were a little bit more quiet, but a lot bit needier.
The Tiger King era.
APRIL 2020
The month of margs and Zooms.
The new normal.
MAY 2020
I had my birthday during quarantine and was rocking press-on nails every damn day.
JUNE 2020
June was a heavy month with the country facing its long history of systemic racism. It was personally trying and eye-opening and I listened and I learned. I read a lot, watched a lot, and thought a lot. It came up in nearly all of my leadership programs and difficult conversations were being had in the workplace more than ever.
I saw my friends, colleagues, and organization struggle. It was just a month where everything shifted. I don’t know if that would have happened if Covid hadn’t forced us all to slow down and become more dialed into the world around us. I’m not happy with WHY it happened (between George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery and the list goes on), but I’m glad to see so many people taking accountability and doing some deep reflection.
Also, Carl Reiner died in June. He was a comedy legend and hero of mine (because yes, I’m a 34-year-old woman who loves The Dick van Dyke Show). If white men in their 90’s can take accountability and adopt a growth mindset, then anyone can.
JULY 2020
We transitioned our live workshops and programs to Zoom and I couldn’t believe how successful it was. We’re obviously still doing them virtually today and honestly, I don’t feel that too much has been sacrificed.
I was also knee-deep in a weight loss “challenge” with my friends and sending mostly dinner pics. And drinking carefully measured ounces of wine.
AUGUST 2020
Covid cases dipped and this was the actual first time I’d been out since before the pandemic.
Besides the dog park, of course.
SEPTEMBER 2020
I escaped to Vermont (a low Covid case state) with my sister. I found this giant bear statue along the way.
It felt like a European vacation in the middle of New England.
OCTOBER 2020
I worked remotely from North Conway for a week with my family and Billie.
Found another bear statue outside of a CHRISTMAS STORE.
Decorated for Christmas the earliest ever due to a Halloween snowstorm. And let’s face it, the pandemic. WE NEEDED A LITTLE CHRISTMAS.
NOVEMBER 2020
Remember election week? I literally drank every night out of stress and it felt like early Covid days and Black Lives Matter rallies again. On the Saturday he was elected, and something finally felt like it was going right, my sister and I drank roughly six bottles of pink champagne.
I also went to Walden Pond for the very first time and explored more of Massachusetts.
Well…. mostly Concord, Massachusetts. I can’t help it. I love Little Women!!!!
DECEMBER 2020
I made the most of a Covid Christmas season by doing 25 days of Christmas outfits.
JANUARY 2021
Quickly gave up on dry January after the insurrection and cold and snowstorms.
Doubled down on #hygge and embracing winter with a cozy home.
FEBRUARY 2021
Dogs make the snow much better.
My February mood. It was a cold, rough, and sad month.
But I started this blog which was a nice creative boost!
MARCH 2021
Here we are! One year later! Aaaaand nothing has changed.
Just kidding. Kind of.
Honestly, I am in a better place this March than last March. I feel calmer and healthier and more socially aware. I exercise regularly, I cook every meal, and overall I have developed better habits. I’ve lost about 30 pounds due to lifestyle changes and I’m starting to address my lifelong eating disorder and feel comfortable with myself for the first time. I don’t commute, which has been so great for my anxiety. I’ve developed some anxiety-reducing rituals, I see my family more, and have enriched friendships.
On the other hand, I’m drinking too much, and my body hurts from my desk chair, and I have to move so I can afford a very basic lifestyle. Yet, I’m lucky to have got through this past year without too much damage. I wish all of these lessons could have been learned a different way and that so many lives weren’t lost in the process. I don’t want to lose sight of everything that this year took from us - even if I’m grateful for some of the insights I’ve gained.
Wherever you are in this pandemic, I hope you’re doing okay and that you know wherever you are right now is also okay. Sometimes it can be so frustrating when others are seemingly doing well or ignoring all the rules, and you’re in a different place. It feels lonely when the whole world seems ready to move on, and you’re still masking up and grieving. Wherever you are right now is totally okay, and where you need to be. Give yourself grace, time, and set proper boundaries. Happy days will be here again.
Until then, always remember that there’s pink champagne, animals, and SO MANY TIE-DYED PAJAMAS.