How did a pandemic make me a better partner?!

Raise your hand if you’re sick of this pandemic. (Meeee!)

While quarantining may be a lonely road, it may work out for your personal development. (I know, I know… eternal optimist much?)

First, I must clarify that it’s possible to become a better partner even if you aren’t currently in a relationship. (Go figure!) These current, unfortunate, circumstances have helped me get in touch with some sides of myself that could be beneficial in ANY relationship. I now have knowledge of self on a level that was impossible prior to the pandemic. (Aye!) I was too busy moving around, going to work, and living life to sit down and get to know myself prior to the pandemic. A lot of people think they know themselves and don't need to get to know themselves, but it’s necessary to do this before you can even THINK about dating somebody. So here's how the pandemic/quarantine got me together and indirectly made me a better partner!

I've learned how to actually care for myself.

Before quarantine, it’s safe to say that I was existing or surviving and not really caring for myself. I’ve been taking time to understand myself and give myself the grace I need to process my emotions properly. Because of this, I've learned how to better care for others. Now that I can understand and process my OWN emotions better, I can be “emotionally intelligent” with others. This has also piggybacked into me becoming more thoughtful. That definitely was not a strength of mine. I wasn’t a jerk, but I just didn’t think of sweet little things to do until AFTER the optimal moment passed.

I’ve become more intentional.

Now that I have sufficient time to plan everything in life (and I do mean everything), there's a reason for everything that I do. I don't do things just to be doing them at this point. I’ve become a whole event planner and my life is the main event. With that being said, I’ve got a pretty defined list of what deserves my time and what doesn’t. This includes but is not limited to nitpicking and relationships in general. When you know what you want, it helps everyone who is actively engaged in a relationship with you or those that wish to do so.

I have more time to hold myself accountable.

Hello site (and personal life) maintenance! There were a lot of the things that I said I wanted to do or that I was going to do that just keep getting put on the back burner. Not anymore! Now, I have a lot of extra time (I use that term loosely) where I’m not caught in the hustle and bustle of commuting. I have been repurposing this time to focus on my goals and the things that I wanted to get done. It's been working out in my favor. Holding myself accountable for those goals and tasks tied to my business and personal life have propelled me a little further up the ladder! I’m more satisfied with my personal and business life and therefore more emotionally balanced.

I have been eating healthier.

Because I'm not constantly out and about and grabbing whatever is quick or easy, I have been cooking more and, in turn, eating better. I'm cooking my own food and choosing healthier meal options. Because of that, my eating habits have greatly improved! I have TIME to try healthy recipes that I find on Pinterest and I’ve been ordering the ingredients necessary from Amazon and Walmart. (So, no you don’t have to leave the house to eat healthy.)

I have been improving personal relationships.

Now that I have better work-life balance (due to working from home), I have more time to speak with the people in my inner circle. My personal relationships have been improving substantially! When you improve those personal relationships (whether it's your familial relationships or your friendships) you’re a better partner. You can't help but be a better partner because you have learned how to love from the people that are immediately close to you.

I’ve become more empathetic.

This has been a very emotional year, in which, we’ve had to stare death in the face for ourselves and the people around us. We have never been able to be more in tune with the emotions of others than we have been in the past year. I’ve become a walking bag of empathy (but not in a pushover way). I feel MORE human. What can be better than being more empathetic when it comes to developing in relationships? If you’re not emotionally mature, you will never be in a relationship that works. This is simply because you don't know how to manage your emotions and apply that knowledge to manage others’. Once you’re able to feel or understand what someone is feeling, that's half the battle in relationships. (I’m out here feeling other people’s feelings and addressing those feelings. Go me!)

Now, that's 6 ways this unfortunate, pandemic quarantining has improved my personal life and improved me as a partner. What are some ways that you feel like you've improved? If you don't feel like the pandemic or quarantining has benefited you at all, look at ways that you can shift this negative situation into a positive situation. Use it to do a little bit of self-improvement. When you feel better about yourself, your energy is golden. You’d be surprised at what you attract with “golden energy”! Either way, stay positive and keep improving.