What I learnt after 21 days of self Isolation.

Due to COVID 19 rate of infection increase dramatically, the Vietnam’s Government imposed a mandatory quarantine to 21 from 14 days, a week before I departed Canada.

As an introvert, I thought to myself this would be easy, I would have a chance to catchup on reading, thinking and work. Hey, what the worse this could happen, I thought to myself. But ohh boy was I wrong. It takes a lot of work to get through that period.

The room is composed of 2 by 3 meters. No balcony. The large window has no mechanism to open for fresh air. 3 meals a day, are brought to me by a blue alien, who rang the bell, and disappeared before I open the door. I can’t leave my room to walk in the hall. I can’t leave for any reason. I have no contact to the outside. All I can really do is watch the world outside from my window.

I spent a lot of time thinking, I do mean a great significant amount of it. And these are the lessons, I learnt while in quarantine – alone.

1. Love yourself – be true to yourself. In the end, your lovers, friends, and family, will not be around. The only person, who you can really count on is – you. The road ahead, some will join you for a brief period of time, they all will destine to separate. The bad one will shape you, the worse one will teach you, and the great one will leave you with memories. Love yourself first, before you love someone else, importantly be you.

2. Lost money can be found; lost time lost forever – so chose to spent your time wisely.

3. Learning to learn – this is very important. It is a superpower that few can accomplished. It is easier said than done. A phD. doesn’t mean he/she can learn. An uneducated labourer doesn’t mean she/he doesn’t have this skill set. And guess what, school is the best place to practice and honed this awesome feat.

4. I’m not a job. Exercise is not a chore. Cooking healthy food is not a punishment. Learn to enjoy being you.

5. Spiritual, Physical, and Mental health are all important part of life. In order to have a good mind, one must have a good physical health. Where as in order to have healthy body, the spiritual health is important, and the same thing for the spiritual health, a good mind is a must. It’s all support one another.