Tag: covid

author, mental health, pandemic, writing

Busy Month of April + COVID

emilieturner95

“Half an hour’s meditation each day is essential, except when you are busy. Then a full hour is needed.“

Saint Francis de Sales

It has been a busy month! April usually is busy every year, except when Easter falls in March. We’ve had COVID outbreaks here, my husband turned 30 and Easter happened! It has been a bit crazy.

Easter is always a great time of year, a time I really love. I love spending time with my family and Church throughout Easter. Unfortunately, Australia has been having some major COVID outbreaks and my family got hit. Right before Easter.

I was hit first, followed by my little boy and then by my husband. It was a rough week. Australia still has quarantine laws so we had to quarantine for a week after the positive test. Not that that was a bother considering how sick we were. The only frustrating thing has been missing out on family gatherings and Church.

My little boy ended up coming down with COVID too. He was hit hard and ended up in hospital for a while, which was terrifying. Thankfully he is all recovered now and doesn’t seem any worse for wear!

I’m glad that we’re through COVID now. We’re both still feeling some lingering symptoms, like a persistent cough and fatigue, but the worst is long gone. I’m looking forward to catching up with family now for belated Easter celebrations and working on my writing once again! It wasn’t happening while the fam was sick, and I’m glad I’m feeling well enough now to get back on it!

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Behind The Scenes – Back In Action

emilieturner95

“When life knocks you down, try to land on your back. Because if you can look up, you can get up.”

Les Brown

Bring on the writing inspiration! I’m back baby, and I’m so happy that I am! I’m still struggling a bit with my motivation, and editing my novel is definitely not what I’m doing at the moment, but I’m still back! I’ve started working on a new novel and I’m stretching my creative muscles once again.

I think most people are on the same page as me at the moment – struggling with the COVID-19 crisis and just trying to get through each day. I’ve decided to stop worrying so much about it and start making the most of the time I have inside.

I’ve set up a bit of a schedule now. I make sure I get up around the same time each day, even if I’m not doing anything, I make sure to do some exercise every morning and eat a healthy breakfast (as tempting as waffles are, I can’t eat them everyday {not even in a pandemic}).

It’s good to have that routine in the morning – it gets me ready for the day and helps me remember that losing my old routine isn’t the worst thing in the world.

“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.”

Zig Ziglar

I always try to write a bit each day again. I went a solid month without writing a single thing, and honestly it was the worst month. I hated not writing and my creative brain was screaming at me by the end of the month. I’ve worked up to being able to write everyday again, and I’m glad I’m back at that point.

I’ll keep writing and pushing forward. COVID-19 will not stop me or my creativity. Anxiety may be high, but I have the ability to write and push my creativity onto paper despite the fear and anxiety around.

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Losing Motivation in a Pandemic

emilieturner95

“One moment of patience may ward off great disaster. One moment of impatience may ruin a whole life.”

Chinese Proverb

It has been a while since I have posted! It’s been a difficult few months, and for a while I completely lost all motivation to do anything. It’s a different world now than it was just a few short months ago, and I’ve really struggled with the lack of control and schedule to my life. It’s just not the same anymore, and it’s taken me many months to find a groove again.

I work in grocery retail, so I definitely have not been out of a job the past few months (thankfully!), but it has also been very crazy and incredibly draining.

People have been vicious, cruel and aggressive during the worst times, and that really affected my mental health and my motivation. I never felt like doing anything at the end of the day.

As someone with diagnosed anxiety disorder, this pandemic has been like a knife in the back. My anxiety has been high and it’s been a struggle to keep going during the crisis. Thankfully, thanks to beautiful healthcare professionals and beautiful people in my life, I’m working through the anxiety and I’m able to be productive again.

It has gotten better now, and I’m thankful that things are calmer here in Australia than other places around the world. I’ve finally started to slow down and treat myself better again, taking time out of the day for meditation, exercise and starting to write once again.

“You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think, and loved more than you’ll ever know.”

A.A. Milne

It’s important not to beat yourself up at this time. It’s a crazy world we’re living in right now, and it’s not uncommon to lose motivation and feel down. I still don’t have much motivation, but I’m trying to push myself to write again and find that groove, especially since this seems to be our new normal for a while.

I’m eager to get back into my writing, and I am looking forward to expanding my brain again and coming up with new ideas and editing the hell out of my novel. I’m going to make the best of the rest of 2020, that’s for sure!