Going from 0 to 100

Over the past year, I have been in graduate school online, working from home, and essentially living alone in my apartment. Despite the struggle of it all that everyone has endured, I had become accustomed to this way of life, filling my time with new things to read, hobbies to create, and other new trials of self-growth. This extra time came with its benefits and downfalls, and by the end of the spring I felt I was trying to make the best of it by painting, exercising, and trying new things.

Fast forward to a month ago, I began to work full time for my final clinical internship for graduate school, where I jumped right into working 40+ hours a week at a clinic, filled with interacting with at least 50 people all day. Needless to say, despite being four weeks in, I still feel as though I am in a bit of shock from this day-to-day change. I am exhausted from the long work days that I have not been able to fully do the same hobbies, exercises, and personal self-growth that I was so accustomed to. I am feeling a bit lost at the moment because of it, feeling that this new position has “halted” my self-growth. While ultimately, I am growing in new ways, such as professionally, it is a challenge to endure such an abrupt change like this.

As others graduate from school, get new jobs, and go from being in a house for a year to out in the world, I hope to remind you to give yourself grace and the time needed to adjust. It will by no means be a quick adjustment to a life you are not accustomed to.

I am trying to focus now on what little things I can do for myself during the day, such as going for a quick walk (where as before I was working out for an hour a day with all the extra free time). And celebrating these small wins have been helping me get back to the place where I felt I was mentally.

Change like this is scary and intimidating, especially right now, but it is possible to get through it.

Have you experienced a huge transition recently due to the life changes because of the pandemic? What are habits that you developed during working or attending school from home that you’re afraid of losing it that is going to change?