What has the journey since all of this began looked like? Has each day truly been the same? Well for the most part it would seem so, though this has taken place in stages.

Despite the sudden disruption caused by the lockdown, it was initially a welcomed change; a forced detox of sorts from the usual rat race. This stage was filled with optimism and what now seems like a fleeting high. The extra time on hand allowed for new lists to be made every day — goals, things-to-do, books to read, workout routines, and dishes to cook. I was determined to make the most of this ‘forced break’ and finally get around to doing all the things I never found the time to do earlier. Organization was key and my vision board and I were determined to get it all done.

Two months into all the zoom celebrations, home workouts, and more than a few failed attempts at cooking the honeymoon period seemed to end and the reality of this altered lifestyle began to sink in. It was here to stay.

This switch from a short to long-term view brought with it a sense of gloom. As the initial enthusiasm to work through every list I’d made wore off and inertia kicked in, I found myself relating to a hamster trying to get to the finish line while running on its wheel. There was so much I was attempting to do, with very little control over my external environment.

In this post-pandemic plateau, each day began to feel much like the one before. Work, workouts, and sleep seemed to be the only elements of my day, with frequent Netflix breaks thrown in. Was everyone experiencing a similar slump? Not according to social media. One tap and I was flooded with updates and posts from people all across the world. Despite being in the midst of a global pandemic, there seemed to be people out there who weren’t as curtailed by this quarantine. Slowly but surely, envy and frustration crept in — I missed my friends, extended family, and going out. I blamed my lack of motivation and progress on things that were not in my control, there was no jumping but only barely rolling out of bed each morning to relive what felt like the exact same day as the last.

After wallowing in this self-pity for a significant period of time, I realized that it was time to snap out of it. I had to shift focus from what I couldn’t control to what I could and from the things I wanted to do but couldn’t to the things I should do but wasn’t. This change in perspective gave birth to a new and much shorter list. A simple daily goal that read –

“Go to bed each day having learned or done something that I hadn’t done or known before.”

With this new motto in mind, I now find myself eager to jump out of bed each morning to find that one new idea or fact that I didn’t know before and differentiates this day from the last! So now I ask you:

What is your reason to jump out of bed each morning?