Improving ourselves and helping others live better amid the pandemic

September is self-improvement month — a time to remind all of us to give importance to our personal, physical, and mental wellbeing. Give yourself the opportunity to reflect on and identify areas of your life that are well tended and those that may need more attention.

Indeed, self-improvement is a priority concern that has become even more important during a pandemic. While public information abounds on health and safety protocols, it all boils down to individual willpower and personal discipline.

Pathways to self-improvement are carved in five simple questions: Do you color your plate? Do you drink enough water? Do you exercise for at least 20 minutes a day? Do you wake up reeling rested and refreshed? Do you get enough social time with people who make you happy and influence you positively?

Good nutrition consists of whole food, fruits and vegetables. Hydration boosts immunity and metabolism, aside from curbing stress-induced food craving. Exercise helps the body produce serotonin that, in turn, serves as a powerful mood stabilizer. Serotonin also aids in the production of the sleep hormone, melatonin. Science suggests at least seven hours of quality sleep to ensure overall health. While lockdowns have severely curtailed social interaction, online platforms have bridged friends across continents. Reconnecting with former classmates and officemates is a great morale booster. Even within the home, there is need to engage with family members more meaningfully. Minimizing gadget time is essential.

Summing up: “Take baby steps to improve yourself through self-care. Do not look at perfection rather always look at progression. Someday you’ll see how far you’ve come in terms of being kind to yourself.”

On a broader front, home improvement also presents fertile opportunities for productive preoccupation. As home eating has become the norm, home cooking and baking guided by online chefs has also become increasingly popular. Beyond leveling up on cookware and kitchen utensils, people are renovating their kitchen and dining areas with the help of tutorial videos. A local home and construction chain reported a 48 percent year-on-year sales growth in the first half of this year powered by marked improvement in retail traffic; it also reported six new store openings amid the pandemic.

Indeed, there is no reason why people could not aspire to live happily and meaningfully while coping with the tough challenges posed by a health crisis and an economic crisis. Helping others — especially those who have been severely displaced and are barely able to make ends meet — is another imperative. Continuing to propagate community pantries and extending financial assistance to humanitarian organizations that provide social safety nets to the most needy are twin measures that could go a long way toward easing the pain points of those in our blighted communities.

Let the Filipino spirit of bayanihan continue to foster community wellbeing while we endeavor to improve ourselves and live meaningful lives.