pandemic

GOODBYE 2020, HELLO 2021

January 7, 2021 by Little Miss Honey

Wow, what can I say about year 2020. It surprised every single person inhabiting this earth in unimaginable magnitude that I have no words. It shook all of us at our very core and so many changes were happening, we couldn’t barely keep up. The year started with bad news after bad news. There was volcano eruption. There were bushfires in Australia. There were talks of impending war. Then of course, Covid 19 came in and nothing became the same again.

It was hard year for everyone. It tested us. It challenged us. I gave us some serious thinking of what truly matters in our lives. It also allowed us a pause button in our crazy hectic lives. It was coincidental that my word for 2020 was Zen and the year definitely gave me that – a zen-like state to dig deeper inwardly. I feel guilty that I didn’t suffer much of the repercussions of what pandemic caused everyone. I feel very grateful yet feeling undeserving that I still have work amidst the increasing unemployment due to the pandemic and have my family beside me & not separated from them while some are far from their loved-ones without knowing when they will see each other again. My heart aches for those who are losing jobs & businesses and friends who are suffering from homesickness being away from their families. Mental health are crashing down and on & then, we feel the wave of homelessness, anxiety, fear, loneliness and sadness. Yet, I felt somehow we showed our resiliency that we can survived all that and we can look forward for a better new year.

I always do a gratefulness list for the year that past as I look back at the things that happened for the last year. In spite of the pandemic, it is best to look at the silver lining and create a heart of gratitude for all the things that we have been blessed.

Gratefulness List of 2020:

New hospital with good work system with an amazingly efficient & wonderful leader & boss

I mentioned in my last year’s gratefulness lists that a month before the 2019 ended, I was informed I will be transferred to a new hospital. I had my apprehensions in transferring to a new work environment because my previous one was a wonderful health center with great workmates & nice patients. But I was glad I was transferred to a slightly bigger healthcare institution with more doctors whom I learned from with a great work system in place and an amazing boss who kept the place in tiptop shape in spite the demanding patients and workload. It challenged my skills as doctors and I am happy to be learning everyday.

2. Having a renewed purpose

There were few things that I have let go before the year ended in 2019. But in early January of 2020, my family and I had several discussions about life plans. We seriously considered it so we decided to make plans. I felt a new sense of excitement of what is to come as long as it coincide with God’s plan for us.

3. J passing the driving test and getting our family vehicle

Passing the driver license here in Oman is not a joke. Even experienced drivers fail several times in the driver license test here in Oman. They need to pass the Drum Test and Road Test before they can get their driver license. J passed the Drum Test in 2 tries and the Road Test after 5 tries. We were so happy because having a vehicle of your own here in Oman is a necessity due to the lack of public transport especially in the interior areas.

On the very day J passed his driving license test, we automatically called the car dealer that we will be getting the car we are interested in. We got our beloved Ushr, our grey Toyota Rush after a few days. Our life in Oman got really easy and more comfortable once we got Ushr.

4. Daycation at Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort for Howell’s Birthday

Covid 19 has not ruled it doom & gloom over Oman yet at that time so we were able to have this nice relaxing celebration for Howell’s 4th birthday by getting Day Passes at Shangri-La. ( Read about it here.) It was lovely day. We may one of these day try to do staycation there too.

5. Still earning in spite of Covid and not separated from my family during pandemic

I lumped these two points together because both are related to Covid 19. Like I mentioned earlier, I am so grateful that I still get to keep my job, even with all its risks while others are losing theirs and I have met family beside me while others are indefinitely separated from theirs. I thank God so much for these and I pray for those who has lost their jobs & businesses and those who are aching to be with their loved-ones that the pandemic will end soon so they can be reunited with them.

6. Transferred to a nice villa walking distance to work

Living 30 minutes away from my workplace can be taxing for the whole family. Having no helper, we have to take the kids whenever I go to work and they would fetch me again when I get off work. Sometimes if I am on morning shift, they have to wake up at the break of dawn to tag along with their sleepy eyes to bring me to work and if I have evening duty, they have to fetch me late at night. It disrupts their nap time, sleeping time and even meal times. I was apprehensive to try for driver license and been postponing try to get one. I hate driving and I am too scaredy-cat to drive.

On May, we were happy we were informed that a nice villa was available for rent near my workplace. We liked it and decided to transfer. We were happy with the decision. I don’t need to get a driver license. I can just walk to work and I don’t need to disturb my family.

We are also happy that we got a wonderful Filipino community in the area and the kids are happy to have Titas in the neighborhood that they can visit and spoils them with sweet treats & presents on special occasions. We didn’t feel as isolated as we were in our previous place which was very far from everyone.

7. Online courses, classes and workshops

Due to the pandemic, there was a surge of online classes and courses offered. I was happy to learn about Coursera and EdX that offer great courses and classes online for free. (You will only pay if you want to get a certificate for the course you took.)

I also was happy to do Leslie Ludy’s online workshop. Leslie Ludy is a Christian author and speaker who inspired women of all walks of life to become closer to God. She has helped strengthen my faith with God during the trying times of the pandemic.

8. My sweet boys

My boys are growing up so fast. They are the sweetest little boys. I am amazed at how caring and loving they are growing up to be. They are so funny too. I enjoy their amusing conversations they have with each other & with me and their incredible imagination & innovative ideas. They come up so many wonderful block creations, ideas for new games to keep them busy & entertained and interesting hypothesis on certain thing, it make me laugh so hard until my belly ache. I am blessed to be a mommy to these adorable little men.

9. New friendships

New places always means new friendships. I am grateful to have gained new friends who will accompany me in this adventure here in Oman. I am beyond blessed that I have people who are willing to help me & my family as we navigate this new life in Oman.

10. Visit to Ras Al Hadd Beach

When the lockdown ease up, establishments were slowly opening and public beaches were opened. We drove to Sur and had fun day at Ras Al Hadd Kite Beach. It was a nice change from being always coop inside the house. It was wonderful to enjoy the nature and explore some parts of Oman that we haven’t been to yet.

11. Birthday staycation at Jebel Sifah

For my birthday, we got lucky to have found a lovely unit to rent at Jebel Sifah at a very good affordable price. It was lovely way to celebrate my birthday with a relaxing staycation at a luxurious apartment unit with nearby pools, beaches, playground for kids, a bar/restaurant and a wonderful marina view.

My kids loved our stay there so much they said, “Mommy, let us go back to this hotel house again, okay?”

12. Christmas in Muscat

This is our 2nd time celebrating Christmas in Muscat at our go-to accommodation in Somerset Panorama Serviced Apartment. The kids hanged their Christmas socks in the unit’s tall lighting stand and found it full of Santa’s sweet treats with a wrapped gifts beside it in the morning of Christmas. We went around Muscat and was happy to discover new places to go to during our stay.

I am looking forward to what 2021 will bring. I am optimistic that it is going to a good one. It will make up for the shortcomings of 2020. I know that we came out of 2020, strong, resilient, more centred and with more purpose. 2021 will be a great year. We owe it to ourselves to make it a great year. Let us do this!

5 WAYS TO HELP OUR KIDS COPE DURING THIS PANDEMIC

September 21, 2020 by Little Miss Honey

I mentioned before that this Covid 19 pandemic doesn’t only affect us but our young kids too. Sometimes we forgot that in spite the fact that they maybe too young to understand what is happening in the world today, they are still inadvertently affected by all this. There is a disruption to the normal flow of things and in their lives. We need to take in account our kids in our home and help them cope with the #thenewnormal during this pandemic. Online classes replaced the regular classes. Kids are not allowed to enter any public establishments. They are coop inside the house with nowhere else to go.

Here are 5 ways to help our kids cope during this pandemic:

Go easy on them

Like I mention in my last blog post (See: 12 Mental Health Care Tips During Covid 19) . We are more understanding if our kids are acting up more these days because being coop up inside the house most days can be too restricting for their hyperactive energies. I try to be more patient and don’t go ‘psycho-mom‘ on them when I see them turn our sofa into an indoor playground obstacle or when they spill crackers all over the floor. A reprimand is still on order if they get really really naughty but sometimes my husband and I let it go with a reminder (or sometimes constant reminders). We allow them to sleep in and sleep a little later than usual. We normally not allow the kids to use phones to play games but recently, we allowed our eldest to play pre-approved games on my phone on weekends. We allow a certain amount of leniency and we try not too be too stringent with our rules. We give the kids a space for them to be kids and have fun.

2. Create routines for them

Because the normal flow of things has been disrupted, it is best to create a consistent routine for the kids to minimise a chaotic atmosphere and to give a sense of calm & consistency especially for anxious kids. The kids have their usual breakfast around 8:00 or 9:00 in the morning followed by bath time then followed by online class. We would have lunch then nap time after. They would have their snack time after the wake up from their nap. We would give Naj some short writing exercises before they watch TV. Sometimes Howell wants to join in the writing exercises so we would give him some writing exercises if he feels like it. Kids knows exactly the night time routine of brushing teeth, wash feet ang nighttime prayers. Kids needs the normalcy and consistency in their own house despite the chaos that is going outside.

3. Let them get creative

This time is a perfect time for them to enhance their creative juices. My kids loves playing with the blocks and they have interesting creations that they often show off to Mommy & Daddy. We are amazed at what they can create. They also love to draw robots on paper or create invented drawing games. Naj would think up of games for him and his brother which allows them to run around the house sweating and laughing like “Sticky Popcorn Catch Me If You Can”, “Jump Jump Race”, “Camel Ride”, “Transforming Themselves Into Vehicles” & “Santa Claus & the Reindeer”. They would also cut up A4 paper using their hands and put scotch tape on the cut out to create robots, though we have banned them from doing this already because they were creating so much flying mess and lots of wasted paper. Sometimes, they are just happy colouring their colour books. We are glad that they don’t spend the whole day staring blankly at the TV screen.

4. Teach them responsibilities

Being stuck at home is a great opportunity to teach them to be responsible. We have 3 young kids at home- a 6 years old, a 4 years old and a 2 years old. We don’t have a helper and we need them to be aware that even if they are young, they can contribute in the household duties. As early as now, we want to instill values that they can carry on when they get older. The kids are responsible in taking used milk bottles from the night before during the mornings inside the kitchen, even baby Zeke helps out with that. We sometimes still reminds them from time to time. Naj and Howell also automatically put their plates and glasses on the kitchen counter sink after eating. I try to remind them to fold their blankets in the mornings after their breakfast. It may not be perfectly folded but they will eventually get the hang of it. Naj is responsible in watering our aloe vera plants every other day which he lovingly calls “Corny”. We help him by creating a calendar checklist for him pasted on the ref door when he needs to water Corny. He loves this assignment and never begrudging does his duties. He is a little bit sad now that his Corny ‘s leaves are turning brown so he is hoping he can still resurrect it.

5. Be present

Now that we have the kids 24/7 at home, I try to be mindful to be more present with them. We love slow breakfast mornings together when I don’t have morning work duty. I try my best to put my phone away when I am with them. I try to soak in the moments that I have with them – listening to their imaginative stories, praising their creations, nap times with them, cuddle times in the bed, watching cartoons with them, doing our nighttime prayers. Upon the insistence of my kids, I try to join their hide & seek games, Sticky Popcorn Catch me If You Can, race from bedroom to living room & back again until my stamina allows me. Though after like 2-3 runs in their game, I would tell them , ‘Mommy needs to rest for a bit to catch my breath’. It is a great exercise for me too, hehe…

I hope parents out there might find this list helpful. Kisses to your little ones. I pray this Covid 19 will go away hopefully by 2021. Inshallah!

12 MENTAL HEALTH CARE TIPS DURING THE COVID 19 OUTBREAK

September 8, 2020 by Little Miss Honey

If there is one thing we are currently learning from this pandemic is the importance of mental health care. A boat load of mixed emotions, often negative, emerged during these time of uncertainty and new changes. There are feelings of anxiety, depression, boredom, anger and many more that are waging within us. We need to take better care of our mental health during these times.

mental health care tips during covid 19 outbreak

Here are 12 Mental Health Care Tips for you and me:

1. Tell yourself that it is okay not to be okay

In situation of extreme stress such as this, it is okay to acknowledge the fact that we are not okay and it is okay not be okay. Denying the dilemma that we all are facing can only unhealthily suppress the bottled negative emotions we have inside, causing more problems. Allow yourself to feel your emotions, sleep in and take things slowly. Disregarding our negatives emotions will only promote toxic positivity which doesn’t help at all. Venting your emotions to some you trust or a mental health professional would really be beneficial too.

2. Enjoy healthy activities that you enjoy and find relaxing

Engage in healthy activities like reading, exercise, eating healthy foods, napping, praying and spending time with family can boost positive mental health during this time. Find a habit that you enjoy and use this time to allow yourself to immerse yourself in those activities.

3. Lessen expectations

Lessen expectations with self and family members at home. Though we are given an opportunity to stay often at home which allows us more time for ourselves, give yourself a break by not condemning yourself like if you miss a workout today. Same goes with your spouse, your kids and other family members at home. We are all coping these days. No need to berate your spouse if he forgot to take out the trash or she gets more impatient with the kids lately. Be more understanding if your kids are acting up more these days because being coop up inside the house can be too restricting for their hyperactive energies. Besides Shakespeare once said that, “Expectations is the root of all heartache.” So lessen your expectations to avoid or at least, lessen heartaches and mental anguish.

4. Practice compassion towards self and others

Like #3, practice more compassion towards yourself and other. Forgive yourself if you mess up and don’t burden yourself too much. Be kinder to everyone. What is happening around us is call to return to kindness. We all need learn to be kind to one another and also to ourselves. There is a study that random acts of kindness can boost happiness levels. Even with social distancing, we can still do random acts of kindness in our own way by reaching out digitally to those who may need cheering up, donating to those who are in need and providing services like free zoom talks or classes on our topic of expertise. I know of one marketing agency that provides free video styling for business owners that she knows are struggling because of this pandemic.

5. Be mindful with social media consumption

Being on social media these days or watching/reading the news can cause more anxiety. Hence, I lay off from most of my social media accounts lately. Another study suggested lessening of social media consumption can increase happiness as well. A tip, if you are still not willing to delete your social media, is to focus on facts than fear during social media consumption. We can turn our attention towards the positives we see in social media. There is a cool hashtag in Twitter that you can check out to be inspired called #covidkindness.

6. Do meditation

Another mental health care tip that would benefit you now and even post-covid 19 is meditation. Meditation is a practice where an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state. There are several ways to meditate. One good one is the Loving Kindness Meditation. Think of a person that you love or care for a lot and repeat the mantra over and over , “May you be happy. May you be healthy“. You can also try other meditation apps like Calm, Headspace or Simple Habit. For me, I prefer to connect it with my faith and being a Catholic, I use the Catholic meditation app called Hallow.

7. Practice physical distance but do not be socially distant

Just because we are practicing physical distancing that doesn’t mean we become a recluse and avoid any contact to anyone outside our home at all cost. Connectedness towards other is even more essential these days. We need to reach out to our parents, siblings, our relatives and our close friends. Take time to check up on them. Create zoom parties. I even saw a farewell party done through zoom meeting for a colleague that will be transferring to another company. Everyone got dressed up, all have wine glasses to toast and a lovely meal in each homes. We all need that sense of togetherness despite not being physically together to hurdle this circumstance that we are all in right now. This is the best time to reconnect with long lost friends too.

8. Appreciate time affluence

One of the sad repercussion of this outbreak are the retrenchment, unemployment and business losses of companies. I knew of a few people that were laid off from work and some of my friends’ businesses closing. I encourage who experiencing these to do #1. Cry, get angry, vent out, lie down on the couch & binge watch on Netflix show. Do what you need to do to cope in this trying times. Learn to take advantage of the gift of time affluence. We are given more time for ourselves. This abundance of time will give us the time to hibernate, rest, experiment with new healthy activities we haven’t had the time to try out, realign to what we are passionate about, create strategic plans of what we want to do once we go back on our feet and live life slowly. Upside of time affluence is that it can sometimes provide with the clarity that you often couldn’t achieve in a fast paced life.

9. Journaling

Jotting down your free flowing thoughts can be therapeutic. Many realisations can arise from this practice. Vent out all your anxieties, sadness, hopefulness and plans in a paper. It has reap many benefits to a lot of people.

10. Move your body

Find an exercise that you enjoy. You can even just a walk around the house or dancing silly to your favourite tune inside your house. Moving your body can result to release of endorphins which acts on the opiate receptors of our brains which can result to a happy mood.

11. Create consistent routine

If you are feeling uneasy and especially those suffering from anxiety, creating a consistent routine would help in this scenario. In spite of the uncertainty that is happening around the world, having a sense of control and consistency can provide a calming and reassuring effect. Design energising morning and relaxing evening rituals for yourself. This can be extra helpful for your kids too if you create a morning and evening rituals they will look forward to. Have a consistent waking and sleeping time and this will help regulate your sleep. There are a lot of people experiencing insomnia these days. That being said, it is best to practice good sleep hygiene by having a conducive room atmosphere for sleeping, no caffeine after 6 PM and no cellphone 2 hours before bedtime.

12. Practice gratitude

Lastly, writing down gratitude list daily can improve mental well-being and increase happiness. Shifting focus on the things that we are blessed to have can tweak our brains into a more positive mindset. We get to have feelings of appreciation and abundance once we see how much we have to still be thankful for.

Pro tip for frontliners:

Here are bonus tips for front liners like me. If overwhelmed and discouraged, try this out:

Take a 1-minute break
Then do 3 slow conscious breaths
Also you can do reframing of your mind on what you are doing & what you are contributing to the community

I hope these tips can all help you as we cope this pandemic. Take care everyone!