Health Female: Learning to Look Up During COVID-19

Monday, April 5, 2021

Learning to Look Up During COVID-19

From the Editors:
Our Pandemic Hobbies for Mental Health

This March marked one year since the beginning of COVID-19, and with it, the start of enormous changes that are still unfolding. We found ourselves challenged in many ways as we tried to balance the state of the world with our own mental health.

In this From the Editors series, Verywell Mind editors take a look at the past year of quarantine and reflect on the pandemic hobbies, both big and small, that helped us cope with the stress of the pandemic and bring back a sense of joy and peace.

Ayana Underwood,
Assistant Editor, Verywell

During quarantine, I began getting outside much more often than I ever used to. As someone who is terrified of bugs and usually runs in the opposite direction of any flying, buzzing creature, I had to get over that fear to really try to enjoy the outdoors.

I found new trails, reserves, and parks to explore and really started to appreciate nature more. One thing I realized I never really did was look up at the sky. It sounds simple, but I never just looked up to see just how pretty it was. Now, I make it a point to at least look up when I go outside to appreciate the beauty of where I live.

When I go to a new park, I try to take pictures of anything cool that I find so I can hold onto those memories forever! On one of my trips, to South Carolina, I found some old railroad tracks that didn't appear to be in use anymore; I had to get a picture of it!

I'm glad I started doing this because it makes me feel connected to nature. The fact that I always know I'll take some cool pictures gives me something to look forward to whenever I go on a new adventure.

Also, I used to think very negatively about what I thought was a lack of hobbies. As someone who gets bored rather easily, I typically bounce around from hobby to hobby and never stick to one for more than a few months. Then, I'll go back to it if or when I feel like it.

I used to view myself as someone who was inconsistent, indecisive, or a quitter. Recently, a close friend challenged me to look at my experience as a positive. She told me: Maybe your hobby is adventure. A light bulb went off in my head and I started to embrace the fact that I genuinely enjoy bouncing around from one experience to the next.

Instead of viewing myself as someone who is inconsistent, I now view myself as someone who loves to try new things and my mental health has thanked me for this shift in perspective! When I (inevitably) decide that I no longer want to walk on trails, I think my next goal will be rock climbing!

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