The Mindful Nepali

This lockdown has been a period of self-reflection. Having all the time to yourself means that scrolling through your Instagram/Facebook feed can keep you satisfied for only so long. You have to confront your thoughts. And your thoughts take you on a journey.

Thinking about family and friends: How fleeting our time with them really is! Not getting to see them makes me think: are our best days behind us? I certainly hope not. The world will resume it’s frantic pace again in the near future. To ensure we don’t lost perspective on how important our relationships really are, we will have to allow ourselves the chances to make new memories. And that will require an on-going commitment from all sides.

Reflecting on my privileges: It’ been tough to stay indoors but at least there is a roof over my head, food on my table, my partner to have a conversation with, and internet connection to work and stay in touch with people I care about. This period has served a reminder that things could always be so much worse.

Appreciating the value of the work I do: At a time when we need to be calm, thoughtful, and understanding of others, most of us have struggled to manage ourselves. This period has reinforced to me the value of self-understanding and connecting with others especially when times are challenging. I’ve become more determined than ever to continue the work I’ve been doing with my team in the domain of Emotional Intelligence because life is such that difficult times will come to greet us again in the future. We will need the emotional skills to help ourselves and those around us. 

Empathizing towards the one I’ve decided to share my life with: Being confined to four rooms with just one person makes both of you vulnerable to each other. As the only person you’re in close contact with, you become the only avenue for each other to emote. During times as such, you can expect each other to be on the receiving end of a full range of emotions. How hard must we really be to be around all the time!

Differentiating between my needs and wants: So much of what we allowed ourselves to be consumed by, it seems we can do without. When it comes right down to the basics, what we need is understanding, connection, empathy, and reassurance.

Thinking about what really matters: Times as such remind you of human fragility. We have limited time but we take it for granted. Now that you have had the time to reflect on your own mortality, you wonder how you’ve been spending your limited resources. Do they do justice to the kind of life you’d be proud to have lived when the curtains come down?