It’s been a little more than three years since the first Manila lockdown was announced last 15 March 2020. I thought I’d do a reckoning of what I have to show for it other than masks for all occasions.
This is not to make light of the tragedy and disruption the pandemic brought to the world the last three years, and I know it’s not over yet. But the furor has subsided greatly, and the dark clouds over our heads have dissipated. For me, the pandemic definitely came with breakdowns, but nothing worse, thank God. Overall, I do feel like a changed person — and for the better. But the ride hasn’t been easy, that’s for sure.
Looking back at the darkest days, the fear, the anxiety and stress, the loneliness and depression, the money crunch, the adjustments we all had to make and endure… Wow, we can now all say we have lived through a pandemic! And in my case, I feel so much relief and even surprise that I actually have so much to show for it that’s bright, growth-full and things I can be proud of!
The worst is over, but clearly the best is yet to come. Join me in this trip down my pandemic memory lane and see what I mean.
Home-bound
The first year of the pandemic found me making peace with not having a stay-in house helper. First, I learned to regularly cook (five stars) and clean (three stars at best), both of which were feats for me. Second, I embarked on home improvements, like rearranging furniture, decluttering all corners of my home and even refurbishing some floor areas — all for optimum aesthetic and comfort levels (five stars, if I may say so myself). It became my year for getting domesticated, and although it came with a lot of internal protestation, everything is for the good, indeed.
Coaching level-up
The pandemic caught me at a time when I was set to make a go of my coaching practice
full-time. I had decided to focus on coaching instead of writing and editing in 2020 and was excited to offer my newly formed workshops then under Work Smart, Love Smart Coaching.
What happened instead was I had to convert my workshops into webinars, and I managed to run five of them that year. I also became a life coach resource person on pandemic-related topics for various media, namely the Daily Tribune, a GMA-7 show, VG8 radio and onelife.ph. I learned to do Facebook Lives because I wanted to speak on pandemic concerns and give support as a life coach online.
I decided to do further coaching studies online and acquired certifications within 2021 and 2022 in Group Life Coaching, Life Purpose Coaching, Relationship Workshop Facilitation and Goal-Setting Coaching, as well as completed a Coaching for Managers course. This was followed by a host of workshops and seminars I attended this year — all in preparation for my new coaching niche that I’m set to launch next month.
Book marked
A few months into the pandemic, I decided to put together my first book, a project I had been contemplating, but had shelved for lack of conviction and time. I completed work on my book Heart on My Sleeve and launched it in September 2021, to my supreme delight, and thankfully, to the delight of many others.
I spent the fourth quarter of that year getting the word and the book out, which translated to being able to connect with relatives and so many friends from different periods of my life, in a way that would never have been possible had I not embarked on this project. I continue to reach people through my book, and it’s been such a blessing.
Other writing and editing projects marked years two and three of the pandemic, namely, a coffee table book I edited for the 50th anniversary of the Money Market Association of the Philippines; the Philippine Landscape Architecture Design Standards manual, which I copy edited for the Philippine Association of Landscape Architects; and a six-month project with the Asian Development Bank, where I wrote about their Return-to-Work initiatives.
Connection is key
Family, especially my mom, and my pet dogs Adele and Britney have served as my anchors all this time. My mom kept me feeling deep-down supported, and my dogs (plus my African lovebird pair and my little terrace garden) gave me a sense of routine, and something to look after, even as they returned the favor with their warm companionship and never-ending antics.
Having my closest friends just a call and text away also made the utmost difference. If I were to be honest, the dating relationships and interactions that I leaned into during this period also gave me some comfort and support while they lasted, in spite of the disappointment and heartbreak a few of them caused in the end.
My kinda playtime
My much-needed breaks and stress relief came mostly from Netflix chilling, and TikTok dance and silly posts, just like for millions of other people on the planet. Then there was online improv, which has been a life saver for me and many others I know.
In the first year of the pandemic, my group Carambola, under Third World Improv, managed to support our dear improv-mate Angel through the last heart-breaking months of her battle with cancer. Then in 2021, I got introduced to global improv, which had opened up for us local improv enthusiasts. What a gift it was to learn from and play with wonderful improv teachers and improvisers the world over. I’m especially thankful to the generous and talented teachers of Tao of Improv, DocCooper Improv, Zmack’s Puppet Improv, Queen City Comedy, Improv College, Vintage Improv and Virtual Hug Improv. Their teachings, the friendships nurtured and definitely the laughs we shared have been priceless.
By mid-2022, we started easing back into in-person improv, and I have two new, pandemic-born local groups to play with — Graze Box and Mabuhay. Live dancing also resumed, notably the physically distanced-zumba sessions in my condo complex and the flamenco flashmob I got to join with friends from Centro Flamenco. A couple of movies and live theater performances were also quite the treat, and the year’s highlight was a long-overdue trip to my hometown Cebu.
Covid-struck
On the downside, Covid finally caught up with me and I got hit by the virus in September 2022. I suffered two weeks of Covid purgatory at home, but I was vaccinated and boosted by then, so it wasn’t strong enough to need more than the usual medications, and I was well-accompanied virtually by family and friends.
Another con is the matter of pandemic weight, which eventually moved me to do a thorough decluttering of clothes that no longer fit. It’s a challenge, but I’m doing what I can to keep my health in check and get in better shape, not to worry.
Date like a queen
The first quarter of 2023 has been about creating and giving birth to my new coaching niche. I have renamed my practice Em Guevara Coaching, and I am now an Empowerment and Self-Love Coach. Carrying the tagline “Empowered Dating Rooted in Self-Love,” my new program offerings are the fruit of my hard-earned dating lessons and experiences, backed by my studies on woman-centered coaching and deep-down transformation. Hear more about this in the coming weeks.