After one and half years of addressing COVID-19 challenges, many of us are facing hard times now. The White Flag Movement (#BenderaPutih campaign) started in late June triggered an overwhelming public response. Many people have lost their jobs due to this pandemic. Some experienced pay-cut while a few have lost loved ones to the pandemic. Many have raised a white flag to seek help from the community.
No one will come out of this pandemic without lesson, pain or suffering. I use this life challenge to shape me into a more purposeful person than I imagined last year. (When I first wrote this article, never once crossed my mind that my family and I will be infected with COVID-19 a month later. I appreciate life more than ever.)
I will share my thoughts on how COVID-19 challenges improve my personality. This article is also my reflection.
Gratitude
Being grateful, I know I am better off than literally millions of people out there. I have a smartphone and a desktop computer with Internet access. I have a stable WiFi connection at home. Although I experienced extreme pay cuts, I have grown a small garden full of organic vegetables. My family are not starving.
I sell recycled boxes, old newspapers and egg trays, then donate the earnings to homeless families and animal rescue shelters. I help whatever I could.
Self Development & Self Improvement
A few friends spend the lockdown periods did nothing. They complain a lot but wonder why I am so busy. Did I experience a loss of direction? Yes, I did last year. However, I quickly get my feet on the ground and started planning. Life is not stagnant; I must pivot and move on.
The second half of 2020 saw me with busy schedules of webinars and online short courses. I found a strong interest in digital marketing, user research, data analytics and visualization. I continue to sharpen my knowledge and skills in these areas through freelance projects, webinars, FutureLearn and China MOOC courses.
I am not good at Arts. I do not enjoy this subject at school. It is fun to practise my design skill through Canva and YouTube video editing skills.
Quality Time Management
Gardening, initially, is a leisure hobby during the first two-month lockdown. Today I have turned it into a full-fledged self-sufficient career.
Most businesses are not allowed from operating since June 1st. Moreover, I should not spend the whole day in the garden. To make the best use of my available time, I set a Work From Home schedule.
Manage the garden in the morning. Then, I have another garden journal that records seeds germination date, fertilizer application date, which female flowers pollinated and so on. The journal prevents over-fertilizing and plucks fruits too late.
After lunch, I attended webinars or listen to webinars I missed. Afterwards, I study an online course. I read local and international news in the evening. Spend an hour reading a book ranging from The Art of Sun Tzu to The Teachings of Confucius before sleep.
I would spend four hours listening to international news commentary programs during the weekend evenings. Baking a cake or some cookies for weekend afternoon teas relieves stress too.
Dare to Fail
Urban farming, just like any business, needs project planning and management skills, an agile mindset and patience to trial and error. Not all plants thrive in the same soil type. Sometimes, plants died due to root rot disease or fungal attack that our eyes cannot see. I am still trying to germinate bean seeds since June.
All farmers know this well. Drought and the rainy season will affect crop yield. When I started planting, half of my tomatoes did not bear a single fruit.
If I want to reap the benefits of this garden, I need a better monitoring system, learn and re-learn. My garden yield is my KPI.
Mental & Physical Health
COVID-19 has shown us the importance of a healthy and quality diet. Diet is also the principal risk factor for preventable diseases and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Moreover, nutrition plays a supporting role in maintaining a healthy body and mind. Explore how to boost our immune system through Nutrition for Health and Sustainability.
You are what you eat
Foods are essential to maintain a healthy and balanced diet. Learn how dietary style and ingredients can help treat various diseases. I also put the lesson into practice to increase the quality of daily nutrition intake and improve our diet for health benefits.
The Chinese Medicine courses in MOOC provide practical health and nutrition information in dealing with COVID-19.
Stretch a Dollar
The pandemic has taught my family and me to become wiser consumers. We went shopping with a shopping list. Only buy bulky items and items cheaper than online shopping platforms. When you use discount vouchers, you can save a lot.
Vegetables planted using the conventional method are sold at RM5.90 per kilogram. RM8.90 per kilogram for organic ones. A packet of thirty vegetable seeds costs RM1.20. The benefits outweigh the costs in the long run.
Positive Outlook
If I could hold on and survive this pandemic, I would have the first post-pandemic holiday in Danang (Vietnam) with my family. I cannot wait to fly again and looking forward to it.
To conclude,
Life is unexpected. We have lost many friends in the past five hundred days. No one knows what will happen tomorrow. No point worrying. Live it like today is last.
These challenges have changed my life perspectives. Instead of looking for a high paying job, I want to lead a meaningful and purposeful career. I want to use my knowledge and skills to help the community.