It’s OK not to be OK
Whilst confined alone at home, in my 30sqm apartment in Bangkok, thousands of kilometres away from my native France, it gives me lots of time to think and reflect on how we, as individuals, act and position ourselves in society.
I have been surprised since the beginning of this crisis by the pressure social media, and media in general are putting on us.
Think about it: what would a quarantine twenty years ago look like? What is wrong with doing nothing? We have been conditioned as productive machines, always switched on, like your wifi and TV are constantly showing that red light. But what if I do not want to feel that pressure for once? What if I want to take advantage of this situation, whilst business is slower than usual, and I don’t need to be running everywhere. Should I feel guilty about doing nothing?
Yes, I understand that days of scrolling on Instagram, or pressing F4 on Le Figaro are definitely not the most satisfying ones, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. And you know what, choice is luxury. I have the choice to do nothing or anything. This is what shapes what I call my “VIP quarantine”. A first-world quarantine. I have a roof, I have access to water and food, I am healthy and my body and brain allow me to move, or to stop. I am lucky to have full control of myself.
So why are we constantly comparing ourselves with each other? There is no nice quarantine, this is not about comparing your Summer holidays! And even that, why do we need to compare our holidays? Cannot we be happy and satisfied with what we have and follow a more Carpe Diem attitude?
This is not the time to only focus on our own person, but to also think about our civilisation. At the end of the day, we are just cells in the middle of trillions of others. If we are helping and supporting each other then it can work. If a billion Chinese citizens managed to stay home for seven weeks, then we can do it. Because if we don’t, the efforts of others will be useless at the end.
I personally love exercising; this is what makes me wake up every morning. But if I miss a session, it’s OK. If I cry after my family group Skype, alone in silence, that’s OK. If I drink a glass of red wine while dancing on techno music in my flat, that’s OK. If I don’t finish that book, that’s OK. If I eat the entire cookie box, that’s OK. If I feel like shit today, that’s OK. If I feel lonely, that’s OK. If I feel I am losing it, that’s OK. If I am not OK, that’s OK.
I am not here to claim my vision of the “ideal quarantine”, but if there are three things that keep me up, they are definitely the below:
1. Feel grateful that I have a VIP quarantine
2. Feel grateful that no one around me has been affected so far
3. Feel grateful to have a choice
This article is not about making you reflect on your quarantine, but just to realise there is always someone in the world, around us, who is having a much more challenging time. Therefore, let’s put our ego aside, it is OK not to be OK, but be grateful for having the choice!
Written By- Louise Blein, Relationship Concierge, Soneva