Almost two years after the emergence of Covid, people have seen borders shut, businesses close, and case numbers increase. A widespread disruption has caused people to rethink their choices, who they are and how they fit in the world.
Readers were asked to tell Guardian Australia how the Pandemic made them rethink their lives. A lot of reader responses show that disruption is a new normal. The new normal looks different for everyone.
Scott, 52, is from Australia.
I'm considering working differently because of the Pandemic. I started my working life in an era where long hours, long weeks, and accumulating unused sick days was almost a way of measuring yourself. A symbol of honor. Take a soldier with you.
I wonder who benefits from that drive for being productive. I can see myself moving back to the country and working.
Ara is from Perth.
It has brought into stark relief that I don't need a lot of things to be happy, but I do need connection to people, even if it's virtual. This has led me to shop less and start clearing things out of my house so it is more minimalist and tidy.
I love my local library so much. Means I spend less on books. Health is the number one.
Rosie is from Melbourne/Auckland.
I quit my job in the middle of 2020. A job that was against my values. I found a job that I loved within a month and have never looked back.
I believe I am on the right track after the Pandemic pushed me to make my life meaningful again. I am living overseas for the first time and have set the bar high for myself and my profession. I have discovered the drive to achieve this, because I never want to work for something I don't believe in.
Ali is from the capital city.
Being restricted to my house left me feeling stiff and old. I gave up running when I moved, but I decided to get back into it. I slowly started running again after using the Couch to 5k app. It is great! It is a time when I feel free and relaxed when I listen to the podcasts.
I feel like my body is 10 years younger now that I am more mobile. No more sore knees walking up and down the stairs.
The woman is from the state of QUEENSLAND.
It has reminded me that I need to seize the moment and enjoy what is available to me. Take my pleasures where and when I can find them. I am loving cooking and baking more than I have in years.
I have come to realize that a relatively solitary existence is just fine, especially with the company of a good dog.
Joy is from Sydney.
The most important things in life are our health, our experiences, and our friends and family. It is not worth the stress to work. It is a miracle that we are here to begin with, so why would we want to spend most of our lives working to make someone else richer?
It seems like a waste of a human life to get a degree, find a career, get married, buy a house, have children, retire and then do what you always wanted to do. It is a hamster wheel that is tricking us into chasing things that we think will make us happy, but happiness already exists inside of us. We don't need to reach any of those levels to get it. It seems pointless.
I want to be a better person and enjoy my life. I want to be more free in my life and less tied down by a career. I want to live a more sustainable life so that I can leave the planet in a better state for the next generations. I hope we see a huge change in the way we live and work.
The person is named "katie", she is 48 years old, in the city of Sydney.
It has made me want to pursue work that I enjoy doing.
I walk with my husband and dog before work. It has been great for our marriage because we have talked a lot and fought less. I would love to keep it. Less transport is better. Less sitting in an office. It's nice to see the green outside my house.
David, 54, is in Hobart.
I wanted to find out more about myself. I needed to work out contentment for myself, and I found that it could only come from inside. I started reading books like Intimacy and Solitude and Total Meditation by Deepak Chopra. The most important thing for me now is my inner self. I try to engage with the outside world on my terms.
Edilia, 63, is from Australia.
It was dumb to care for everyone else but not take care of yourself. I realized that this is my life and I want to live it differently. It won't be the long-term vision I had prior to the Pandemic, but it will allow me to be valued as an individual. I have embraced new opportunities where I use my talents for the greater good and people appreciate what I do.
Jake is from Cambridge.
The importance of family has been emphasized. I want a balanced life where family and career are important to me. With the advent of virtual learning and virtual working, it is more possible than ever before, and I now realise that there always needs to be a compromise.
It has become more important to have physical health. Having more opportunities to work from home has made a huge difference in my health, as I have seen it manifest in my physical health.
Ronald is from Western Australia.
I had plans to visit many places in Africa and Europe. I now accept that reality. Getting to see more of Australia is more important than seeing other countries. I want to spend more time in the bush.
I have become more fit and healthy. I go for longer jogs several times a week. I go to the sauna a few times a week. I use the treadmill a few times a week.
The Pandemic has made me read, listen to music, watch movies and watch TV.
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Our guest authors chose the best books of 2021.
The best books of the year were chosen by our guest authors.
Juliet is from Wollongong.
It has been good for my mental health to simplify my life. It's good for my health to have less wine. It is good for my mental health to say no to socializing when I don't want to. Reading has been enjoyable. I will not be going anywhere this weekend, so I will be reading indoors. I am getting intellectual stimulation from books. Good TV and podcasts can be more stimulating than going out.
I would like to quit my job. I spent a lot of money on things that I didn't miss, such as eating out, and I really don't need new clothes, or as many trips away. I embraced being a homebody. I now only want to spend money on outings that I am passionate about, and Lockdown made me appreciate where I live. I realized that a walk in nature is something not to be taken for granted, considering that one of the allowed activities was exercising.
The simple things in life are the best. The experience of the Pandemic was positive for me. It has made me think about what is important in my life.
