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Pre-pandemic I never experienced anxiety ... now I need to listen to meditation and/or calming sleep videos to fall asleep every night.

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Being forced to work from home during the lockdown brought balance to my life in ways that were better than what I could have imagined. When my previous employer brought us all back to the office in the spring of 2020, I instantly knew that was not what was best for my family. I am a better parent and professional when I work from my home. I am so fortunate to have found Westat, an organization that values talent and employees from all over the country. My life as a Westat employee is about my life, including my rewarding job and my family, and not about my commute and sitting at a desk in an office.

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While there were times when we were at each others throats, and there were emotional crisis and mental breakdowns, we learned to navigate through those emotions and came out stronger and closer as a family.

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My emotions fluctuate much more since the pandemic began. Before March 2020, I shed few tears, but now they flow 'just because'. On the other hand, I'm much sillier than I was pre-pandemic. Impromptu dance parties are now a thing at my house. So is popcorn for dinner. While we used to be conscious of our macro and micronutrients, we now indulge. This could be the root cause of my highs and lows. It is time to start watching our junky carbs again, but I hope I retain the playful streak.

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I'm happy that people who were not regular hand-washers began the practice of washing their hands with more regularity!  I am glad that almost all stores, banks, etc. have normalized having hand sanitizer available at counters or by entrance/exits.

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The major silver lining of the pandemic for me was the fact that my partner no longer traveled for work. When the pandemic began, we had been together 3 1/2 years and the entire time he traveled nearly every week for work. During the pandemic he was home 100% for the first time ever and it absolutely strengthened our relationship and our love for one another.

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I learned that family is the most important thing and I've grown closer to my parents. I learned that I'm totally fine at home, but when things started opening back up, I realized how much I missed and needed to socialize and be around other people. I didn't think I would want to return to the office, but I love my hybrid schedule and the flexibility it allows while still seeing my coworkers.

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Learned to sit with my feelings and actually take the time to process instead of keeping busy to avoid them.

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While it may be small and not every day- it is a gift that has helped in so many ways

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I wept at the vaccine site when I got my first vaccine... it was such a tremendous relief and like the other poster, I did not realize how much I had been holding in.  My husband- very high risk- had gotten COVID and thankfully the monoclonal antibody treatment just two months earlier and we had to quarantine while living in the same small house. The treatment happened the same day I lost my Father and it was so bizarre not to have a funeral, or a shiva, yet instead quarantine and ask people to bring us food.  I have learned to be less afraid of my fear and my feelings during these last two years and ask for help.

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I had my first child during the summer of 2020 before vaccines. Raising a child during these fraught times has been so isolating and at times scary. Virtual support (while appreciated) is not the same. Also navigating the constant decision-making and dealing with opposing viewpoints about the pandemic... absolutely exhausting. Relationships with some people just will never be the same.
At the same time though, I am so grateful for my healthy baby and the fact that my job at Westat allows me to work at home safely.

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It has been isolating. Friendships have changed. 

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It has been isolating. Friendships have changed. 

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When I got my first vaccine, I surprised myself by crying from relief.  I didn't realize how scared I really was of contracting COVID-19.  

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When I got my first vaccine, I surprised myself by crying from relief.  I didn't realize how scared I really was of contracting COVID-19.  

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I might have been a bit reclusive before. Now, I only go out twice a month (for necessities), and stay at home the rest of the time.