A little optimism and positivity goes a long way

Our perspective is key to empowering ourselves, Jasnoor Guliani says.

If you had told me merely two weeks ago that I would be spending the rest of my senior year of high school confined to my house with nothing to do, I would have stared at you in shock and disbelief.

Yet, in this time of great uncertainty, I find myself in an unexpected and unprecedented situation.

With the celebrations and triumph of my graduation experience mercilessly stolen from me, I’ve had to grapple with apprehensions over unfinished courses and unclear futures.

Further, as the COVID-19 pandemic spreads throughout the country and affects each Canadian citizen, the fear of a prolonged crisis settles and weighs in my brain, immobilizing me from any activity during the day. As I flip through the news each day, my concern and dismay for the future grow.

In this unforeseen and often gloomy environment, it is easy to fall prey to the weight of isolation from our friends and our communities. As humans, we are inherently social creatures, and while the whims of text messaging and Facetime may satisfy our needs in the short term, the demands of limited interaction with the world around us can take a harsh toll on our long-term psychological well-being.

However, I believe that COVID-19 presents us with a personal opportunity instead of a burden if we shift our perception of the circumstances.

While keeping those truly affected in our thoughts, we can take this time as a chance to withdraw from the frantic world around us and reflect on the experiences and people we value in our lives.

In an increasingly technological age, it’s often difficult to take a step back and get a clearer picture of our lives, but this extended isolation offers us the chance to do so.

Personally, I’ve taken this time to reflect on

There’s a way for each of us to grow and develop in this time of great strife.

the past four years of my high school journey, by contemplating my successes, appreciating my failures, and pondering ways I can improve to become a more compassionate and caring member of society.

I am also taking this time to develop new skills and talents that I’ve never gotten the chance to work on in the bustle of school life. For example, learning how to code was always something I wanted to do, and a skill that I know will be important for my future.

Whether it be picking up a passion for reading, taking the time to do yoga, or even getting some fresh air, I believe there’s a way for each of us to grow and develop in this time of great strife.

Ultimately, our response to this new reality depends on our reaction to it.

We can either view it as a hardship and blame those around us, or take it as a challenge from the world to improve ourselves for the future. Taking the second path will allow us to become more compassionate and empathetic members of our world community.

As someone who has faced much change in the past week, I’ve realized that it is only by appreciating the people and society around us that we can emerge from this crisis as renewed and improved people.

All it requires is optimism and positivity. Jasnoor Guliani is a Grade 12 student at Luther College High School in Regina.