Before we begin, stop and take a deep breath. Straighten your spine and unclench your jaw. Yep, let’s begin.

2020 was the year of a lot of highs and many lows, but history will remember this year as the year of the COVID-19 pandemic. (But also the year Trump left the White House after a single run ☺️). The response to the pandemic has been a difficult one globally.

The US alone averaged at extremely high rates of cases as well as the people we lost. Meanwhile, the world found itself amidst the climate change emergency as well.

However, recovery from this year wouldn’t just mean the introduction and availability of a vaccine. It would also mean policy changes. As well as a guided transition into a pandemic free world in conjunction with medical experts, scientists, and economists alike.

In today’s complex times, it becomes difficult to gauge the weight on the shoulders of an individual. Especially a young one, trying to make ends meet, provide for themselves and their family and navigate a pandemic. But recovery from this year wouldn’t just mean recovering from the pandemic. It would also need to mean individual recovery.

We’re not promising that the following will aid the healing of all your wounds. But they might make your days a little better. So, maybe, give it a shot and see if some of them help.

Stop and smell the flowers… literally.

Yep, taking note of the many small things that make life what it is, is a great way to feel gratitude. It also helps break the rut we find ourselves in every day.

Take a second to watch the lake you drive by. Take a picture of the bird that comes and sits on your balcony or the way the sunlight hits your kitchen counter. Nature should be the last thing we take for granted, as it’s the shortest route to any recovery.

Make your social media your own personal art gallery.

Yep, you heard us right. We really think it’s time to let go of posting on social media as per highest traffic times, what gets more likes, etc. Because that rarely ever translates into sustained happiness.

Tell yourself your social media is for you, before anyone else. It doesn’t matter if you post something that others don’t like. Treat your social media as your memory album. It can be more, but only when that more pleases your being.

Not to sound cheesy but, nothing is ever too big or too small. Allow yourself to enjoy your scrolling. Fill your feed with people and content that make you feel good.

Checking your social media platforms shouldn’t be a chore for any of us! Help yourself by eliminating the immediate blockages to your healing process.

Related : Top 6 2020 Podcast Picks for The Pandemic

Recover from the pandemic with gratitude… and a cup of hot water.

Recover from the pandemic by prepping your body for the day it is about to take on, with a glass of hot water (not boiling, of course). And your mind with things you are grateful for. Make a mental list of the things you’re grateful for — even if it’s just a couple. Then see how your mood changes for the better! (You can always get yourself a gratitude journal as well.)

And if your day ends up taking a turn you didn’t expect, coming back to your list will help. This is the recovery needed for your mind as well as the human flesh it supports.

Don’t filter your tears or your laughter — that’s healing.

If you feel something that hurts, and it makes you sob until snot bubbles form, embrace it. If you came across a hilarious joke that literally makes you want to howl, go ahead!

Don’t stunt your emotions; nobody can stop you from expressing yourself. Kneecapping your emotions can be a burden — but letting go is absolutely essential in your journey to healing and allowing yourself to just be!

Tell yourself it’s okay you’re not a superhero.

No one expects you to do everything.

No one. Understand your limits and do yourself (and those close to you a favor) and avoid reaching burnout as much as possible.

Stop. Comparing.

Don’t yet have that quarantine bod? Don’t have as much saved as your thought you would? Learn to note the progress you have made still, and how far you have come from the starting point. If you take a step back and can see that you’re in a better place than you once were, that’s all that matters.

Say it with me, I’m allowing myself to heal and recover — whatever my process may be.

Record your journey of recovering from the pandemic.

Noting things down has an incomparable beauty in itself. And it is only human to forget the things we swore we wouldn’t.

Recovering from the pandemic will require active work on all our parts. And this is one of the most helpful ways of recognizing your feelings before you begin to process them.

Remembering every single thought we had is impossible. It really is. So do yourself a favor, and note it down. In whatever form you think is best.

Take up the things you liked as a child.

Sure we were all locked in this past year — but so many people took up childhood activities again! From puzzles, to painting, and making pillow forts. There’s a ton of activities people found comfort in this past year, in their own journey of recovering from the pandemic.

There’s so much we loved as kids and let go of as we grew older. Find those things again and yourself, through them! From making Christmas villages to taking pictures, to collecting bottle caps and making elaborate houses out of cards, go wild!

Recover from the pandemic Rediscovering hidden skills.

There are probably so many things you forgot or didn’t even realize you were good at. You don’t have to be stuck with the same hobbies and professions that you decided on in like… high school. Try new things; you might surprise yourself.

Need some more Roomi in your life? Have your pick from Roomi’s endless recommendations crafted to your needs. Doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a room to call home, a couch to call your bed or a mate to share these with! Download the app here — and get surfin’