I will take the inconvenience, thank you very much

I. I was sorting our trash for the bokashi compost when I realized why only a few households do it even if there is a long list of benefits. It is inconvenient.

Segregating the trash, cutting up the organics to size, filling the bucket, and mixing it with soil definitely takes more time than chucking the trash inside the bin and forgetting about it.

Sure, all the steps to bokashi composting are simple but it involves plenty of consciousness. Who would want that?

I would. This little time investment every day makes a difference for the environment. Immediately, less trash in the landfills. And for once, I am putting something valuable back into the Earth instead of taking. And honestly, it is not hard. The return of investment is 10x. I will take the inconvenience, thank you very much.

II. Whenever I feel lockdown fatigue, I am engulfed by sadness and grief for the world. What could have been? All the opportunities we have lost!

But I think about the sacrifices of my sisters and all their colleagues in healthcare – the long and toxic hours, infection and death constantly by their necks, distancing from their families. Suddenly, I am more open to staying at home even if I get claustrophobic and am ever only millimeters away from despairing sometimes.

It honestly infuriates me, how others can act irresponsibly, pretend everything is normal, or worse, gather in mass numbers denying the pandemic. Is it bad that fatalities from the coronavirus are immediately cremated? Would the situation sink in better if we piled up all the dead bodies and created a coronavirus monument for each country?

We are all called to rise up for each other during this time. Stay at home, wear your masks, wash your hands. I will take the inconvenience, thank you very much.

III. One thing people seem to misplace during this pandemic is personal responsibility. It is easy to complain about the restrictions. Do you know what is even easier? Forgetting to take care of our bodies.

In another life, I used to be a nurse, and I still am a registered nurse. Even then, I noticed there is only a small number of people who gives a shit about preventive healthcare. One would assume it is exploding by now. But no. Why take personal responsibility when it is easier to complain?

What will save us from the coronavirus, or any illness at that, is not just what we do during this pandemic, but the healthy habits we have created throughout our lives. Eating healthier, exercising, prioritizing sleep, minimizing stress – these pieces of advice have been thrown around an infinite number of times. They are simple, effective, and also hard.

Implementing them means putting ourselves first and realizing that without self-care, everything around our lives will be suboptimal. Preventive healthcare means being conscious of our actions and disciplining ourselves because our mind and bodies are worth the supposed hassle. It is playing for the long-term. I will take the inconvenience, thank you very much.

IV. Not everything in this life is meant to be a breeze. Some things are demanding, frustrating, and exhausting. But let us focus on why we are doing it.

Awareness will bridge the chasm between effort and inconvenience effectively, if not seamlessly. In fact, the more awareness we create, the faster the inconvenience disappears.

Next time, let us not ask ourselves what inconvenience are we passing up but reflect on what are we willing to invest in to improve our day, our lives, and the world. Let us take the inconvenience, thank you very much.