Let’s face it: trying to find positivity during the era of COVID can feel like an impossible task.

How does one remain optimistic when we’re stuck at home and the news is reminding us that there are almost one million people sick with an ever-rising death count? It feels like everyday a person we love loses their job and stability. Online, we see memes that shame us for our productivity (or lack thereof). And worst of all, if you’re in a situation similar to mine, you’ve had the unfortunate experience of losing a loved one. Seeing your Tía cry over a zoom funeral hits you differently — you can’t offer the warm feeling of a hug, a subtle back rub, or the relief of a heartfelt hand squeeze that screams “I’M HERE FOR YOU” without the need to say a word.

But, if you can fight through the feeling of impotence, or better yet, try to look past the negative realities of COVID, you’ll see that this pandemic has actually brought forth some semblance of a silver lining.

EMPHASIZING CONNECTIVITY & SELF-CARE:

Long before COVID, I had a chat with my awesome work buddy on his last day. While I helped him pack up his office I asked, “How do you feel? What’s the one thing you’ll miss about this place?” He answered, “I guess I never realized how much we mean to people, and it sucks that I’m realizing this now, on my last day.”

Even though the situations are completely unrelated, my buddy’s words have been really present to me during this pandemic. In a time where we find ourselves in some of the most alone moments in our lifetimes, we very often long for the things and people we’ve taken for granted, perhaps because we never realized how much we mattered to others. But this has also connected us and made us feel more human. We’ve placed an emphasis on zoom calls, drive-by birthday parties and boozy happy hours with our best friends. This newfound effort to connect is arguably the biggest win to come from quarantine. Knowing that you are loved by family, and even people you didn’t think remembered you all that much, can make a world of a difference when facing perpetual loneliness and anxiety in this terrifying new reality.

THE ISAAC NEWTON EFFECT:

It’s really ironic that the very thing that makes COVID so frustrating is also what makes it so incredibly philosophical. Never in our lifetimes has so much been so unknown to all of us, rather than just some of us. The severity of the virus affects everyone (though not equally), and has thus put us all into a tailspin of existential questions: Do I like what I do? Am I happy? Have I been prioritizing the correct things in my life? Is this job worth the risk?

Even if the answers are unclear, the fact that we are all stopping or slowing down to ask ourselves these questions is a sign we are focusing more on our self-care. And I’m not talking about the avocado-mask-type-of-self-care (though that self-care is absolutely needed and amazing), but rather, the types of questions that really have the power to change things after this is all done. When we ask ourselves things that challenge our status quo it has a ripple effect — and those small ripples have the power to change things for the better. For instance, take all the amazing essential workers practicing self-care in demanding hazard pay, or the parents working from home prioritizing the needs of their children before their jobs, and even the people closing their computers on-time and being more definitive with their work/life balance. These acts of self-love add up, eventually building a routine and courage that teaches us how to listen to our needs first, rather than breaking ourselves into a million pieces trying to appease people or situations that aren’t always healthy for our well-being.

THEY TOLD US IT COULDN’T BE DONE: WORKING FROM HOME

Working from home seems to be a polarizing subject: you either hate it, or you love it. On a personal level, it’s allowed me to continue that level of self-care that I didn’t have going into the office. It’s opened up two extra hours a day for family and creative time. I can close my computer, get started on dinner, put on a good show on Netflix, learn TikTok from my 13-year-old sister and still have some time left over from what would be my evening commute. Although working from home might seem like a small feat or a torturous experience for some (especially those working with small children), the advantages of a makeshift home office definitely add up. The first advantage is obvious: not having to leave your house allows you liberty from your commute. For those of us commuting to far away lands for work, this new arrangement definitely allows us the opportunity to be productive, or simply rest. Not to mention the lanes it will open up for members of the disabled community who struggle to make it to an office setting (yay for inclusivity!).

The best part about these working from home arrangements is that they’re likely not going anywhere, even after socialdistancing measures are lifted by cities everywhere. The probability of new office arrangements and virtual spaces to prevent the return or continued spread of COVID is almost unavoidable, especially as employees prove that remote work can be just as effective as going into an office. It’s hard to imagine going back to a time when only 7% of Americans had access to remote working options. We’ve proven it works and that we are capable of fulfilling our jobs from virtually anywhere (saying it louder for the micromanagers in the back!).

WE’RE SAVING THE ENVIRONMENT:

These remote working arrangements have done more than lowered our blood pressure (goodbye road rage). If you’re located in Southern California, you notice that the air seems fresher after a good rainfall. COVID has had a similar effect, mainly due to a decrease in commutes and overall cars on the road that are creating a fantastic impact on our environment.

We began to see the effects of cleaner air around March, when our commutes in Southern California began to shorten by 11%. Around the globe, the closures of factories lowered emissions by as much as 40%. However, is it realistic to continue the trend after such drastic measures, or will pollution just return with a vengeance once lockdowns are lifted?

In an era where caring for the earth feels like an almost impossible task to ever complete, COVID has certainly given us an extreme restart. Although at some point most of us will have to return to the office, thus traveling and using gasoline, the idea is to lower your overall emissions to do your part as much as possible. With life after COVID returning slowly to a new normal, the idea of a combo of home/traditional offices might offer our environment some much needed TLC.

SECURING OUR BAG DURING COVID

Again, we have to keep in mind that some are really struggling financially due to the loss of a job or caring for a loved one. But for those that are lucky to have a job, the lack of miscellaneous spending has your bank account feeling full, happy and maybe even a bit, shocked.

During COVID, financial literacy has definitely become a part of our self-care ritual, and some of us have even had to reassess our relationship with money. But, how can it be that we are saving cash during a pandemic while we are rolling out hundreds of dollars from the grocery store each trip?

The sudden thrust into the unknown, coupled with anxiety of job security, has forced many of us to be penny pinchers, and/or stressed the realities of our spending habits. We’re starting to realize we consume a lot of unnecessary things, and, with stores and restaurants closed in their normal capacity, we simply aren’t spending as much. In this entire month of quarantine, I’m shocked to be able to count on one hand the number of times I’ve eaten out — and that’s coming from a person that ate at least one meal out a day during the week. It’s amazing to see how these small changes start to pile up, especially after a month and change of indoor hangs.

Now, there are all these experts always telling us about how much cash we should be saving up for a rainy day. But if the airlines and bigger corporations can’t even manage to have some cash reserves, what hope is there for the rest of us? The truth is that there is no one-size-fits-all answer. When it comes to finances, financial priorities really depends on your needs. COVID has made me realize that I don’t need to spend money to hang out with friends, and that I’m not as bad of a cook as I thought I was! Hopefully, this coupled with the ability to work from home even after sanctions are lifted will save me some bucks on fuel, and just might be enough to keep my healthy financial habits going.

From self-care, different working arrangements, the environment and money, COVID has really shaken up our world. It’s important to note that counting our many blessings even during this time doesn’t mean we aren’t in tune with the gravity of the situation. Remaining optimistic isn’t an excuse to ignore the most vulnerable, but instead, a lesson in seeking out ways to improve our communities’ quality of life while checking our privilege at the door. Although COVID has taken many of our luxuries and comforts away, it has also brought forth a series of opportunities and silver linings to look forward to.

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The internal growth alone is worth all the optimism we can push forth.