As the Covid-19 pandemic continues, we all still find ourselves self-isolating to keep the numbers from increasing. Many of our occupations have been cancelled and as a result, our daily routines have since come to a pause and we find ourselves bored and worn out. Even if our teachers still do assign work to us, we do not feel as motivated to do it because of our comfortable and relaxed environments at home. These are challenging and enervating times for everyone, we are in this together. As we find ourselves constricted to the walls of our homes, I encourage that we do a lot of thinking. Think about yourself, think about your hardships and how you have overcome them. Self-isolation can foster self-discovery.  Rather than focusing on the pandemic and the challenges that it brings with it; we can try to focus on bettering ourselves and discovering more about ourselves. Take all this time to yourself to find a hobby. Everyone has something that they are good at- all you must do is find it. It could be drawing, singing, dancing, or in my case, writing. Use this as a time to foster independence and positive thinking. This is definitely a different approach than what most are doing.

Often when one thinks of self-discovery, they think of visiting new places and meeting different people to further reflect on how they feel and find who they are. We tend to think that we have to go somewhere else to find something new within ourselves, but this is not true. At the end of the day, those are all things that can help you with your journey, however, it always comes down to you. Throughout the process of self-isolating, I have been doing a lot more activities and thinking a lot more about things that can help me become who I want to be. As a naturally quiet and introverted person, thinking has always been my strong suit. My mind is constantly working. Ultimately, self-isolation is the best place to overthink. It is all down to you; you decide if you are going to think positive thoughts or negative ones.

Unfortunately, sometimes it can be hard to shew away bad thoughts. That is why school has always been my focus, it is a good distraction, but not always a healthy one since it adds a lot of unnecessary stress into my life. However, I have since realized that balance is important and that I should pay more attention to myself.  Below I have included a few tips that have personally helped me with my journey so far and that you can hopefully find helpful soon!

Hobbies are Important! One thing that I have been doing a lot of during this pandemic is writing. My dream has always been to become a successful author one day. So, I decided to start mentally planning and writing a story to keep my mind occupied with something that I liked doing. Therefore, finding your hobby can be essential to self-discovery. Nobody else can help you find a hobby; you get to decide what you like. During the normal school year, you may not have had enough time to do the things that you like. Personally, I have been making more time to read books. I have made it my mission to re-read and watch the Harry Potter series as it is a favorite of mine. Another thing that I have been doing is watching some old childhood movies that I used to love when I was younger to reminisce on older times and remember simpler times. Self-discovery generally goes full circle; before you become who, you are meant to be you must remember who you were.

Take time to focus on your mental health: Your mental health is a key attribute to the journey of self-discovery.  As I said, self-isolation is the best place to overthink. But you get to choose what exactly you overthink about. Try practicing positive mindfulness. Every time you think a bad thought, try, and turn it into something good by replacing it with something happier. Do not dwell on the past, often, the best we can do is move on. Just remember that it is ok to feel distressed, especially at a time like this. Regardless, always walk with the knowledge that you will never walk alone.