Are you one of those who always have a million thoughts and ideas, always thinking of the future, laying out plans for the coming weekend, or simply Googling or researching anything that you feel is relevant now? Or do you experience sudden anxiety upon waking up, even before you have that first sip of coffee?

Anxiety and depression have significantly risen this past year since the tragedy and the circumstances the pandemic has brought. Career and job shifts, relationship challenges, businesses collapsing, and future uncertainties. To some, this pandemic must have turned their world upside down. We are continuously shape-shifting like water to adapt to every minute of societal change.

A few of us are resilient, strong-willed, and robust in thought and can. On the other hand, strong-willed and robust in thought and contrary, a few of us are resilient and able to conquer all the buzzes in life. We often turn and seek comfort from our families and friends for support, but for those living alone, it takes a lot of emotional stability and psychological strength.

A friend from America asked me once how I was doing. The same question asked by relatives far from home, my answer will always be the same “I’m OK, SURVIVING”. I am OK, is such a general word and response that none of us know the meaning. It may mean I might or might not be okay. But the last word, surviving, sums up the whole response. So I elaborate on how and what I did during the verge of the lockdown. Thailand was one of the countries that successfully curbed the number of its cases last year because of its strict and stringent policy on COVID-19 measures. When the Kingdom announced and declared total lockdown, local citizens, foreign tourists, expats, and immigrants complied. No privileges were exercised, and no one had an exception. It was also the same time a significant shift and unfortunate change happened to the company where I work, and the list goes on; it was like a domino falling one after the other.

Days, weeks, and months passed, and I was stuck in my apartment alone, waiting for good and satisfying news. The waiting and wondering were excruciating to my ears, eyes, and mind. All these unnecessary noises of news from around the world, images, thoughts, paranoia, and anxiety kept crawling on the weird vulnerable times (first thing in the morning and the moment you drop your head on the pillow). They are like your greatest nemesis, catching you off-guard, or an evil fairy godmother handing you the most beautiful red apple. However, my scenarios will either be a rotten, poisonous apple or it gets taken away after I have it in my bare hands. It crushed my spirit.

So, how did I survive? I took every minute of it as an experience and considered it another history worth writing down. It was said earlier that it takes courage and strength to bounce back and pick up those fallen dominoes one at a time. Things may not be the same as they used to be, but we are like water, constantly shifting, changing, and always fluid in time and life. The circumstances may and will never get better, but our perception is the most important thing we can change. It is not easy, but it can be done.

There is no excellent formula or great solution. How I killed the buzz and performed Karate with my evil fairy godmother. Thus, it is my own battle to win.

More aspects and things happen between or after each other; everyone is different when dealing with their life circumstances. It’s all about getting up, bouncing back, and reaching out to anyone needing comfort, letting them feel they are not alone. Let us call a friend once in a while and check on them. You might not know that your phone call was the best thing they ever had that day.

“The worst is yet to come, but being better from what was broken is the best you have done.” –The Little Harriet.