In her last post, our diary of a real bride contributor, Dana, opened up about her fears surrounding her wedding and COVID-19. Not much has changed for the bride to-be since then, and she is still unsure if her planned July 2020 wedding will proceed, but she is keeping positive with her weekly ‘quarantine’ routine, and is focused on staying active and mentally prepared for whatever come what may. Over to Dana!

These past few weeks have been the most overwhelming weeks of my life and while I still have no clue as to whether I’m having my July wedding… I thought I’d share with you my humble weekly “quarantine” routine. I’m trying to stay positive and focus on the good. I have my down days, but so far, what I am doing, as outline below, is keeping me focused and sane…for now. I started this routine before Ramadan and am continuing throughout Ramadan. These activities may seem like a no-brainer to most, but if you’re holding back on doing or trying something, NOW is your chance.

Here’s what I’ve been doing:

Fitness

I get lazy sometimes when it comes to fitness, but I figured if I don’t do it now in the comfort of my home, when will I?

I alternate between yoga and barre classes. Yoga is crucial for me, it helps soothe my anxiety and stress. I’m going to be honest and say that I enjoy yoga at our local studios more, there’s something so relaxing about the classes. Anyway, with yoga, you typically need to focus on where you carry your stress the most (I have it in my hips and back), only then you’ll be able to notice a massive difference in the way that you feel, and in the way that you carry yourself!

Barre classes are my best kept secret. If you’re looking to transform your body in a short amount of time, find a barre class and get going. Don’t be fooled by the pictures on Google, you’ll be crying 5 minutes into the workout. Typically, you won’t need any equipment, you could use household items if needed, but my oh my, I saw results in 3 weeks only!

P.S. barre also helps improve your posture.

Facials, Facials, Facials

I’m not a makeup girl, I’m a firm believer in healthy natural skin (I’ll enjoy a full glam look every now and then but I like spending my cash on masks and serums) and while I’ll be writing a full on article on my quarantine skincare routine, I thought I must let you know that this is also the time to make the most out of your products and look after the well-being of your skin!

Remember, your skin journey starts within. What’s on your face could be an indication of what’s happening in your body. Looking after what you eat can literally transform your skin. My skin became a lot less dull and more glowy when I dropped dairy products.

I don’t typically use all natural products, I love my retinol serum. However I do enjoy a product that’s correlated with gemstones. I believe in energy. My favourite is the rose quartz. Stay tuned to next months’ article, I’ll share you with my best kept secrets for a good-looking skin.

P.S. I go some days without any products on my face. Studies show that you need to give your face a break from all the creams, serums and gels at least once a week.

Writing

I love journals. I think they make a great tool for reflecting on ideas, stressors, or nice memories. For some, writing may work as a soothing technique for stress. I originally started with buying journals last year, I bought a gratitude book, and filled it filled it out every day with 3 random things I’m grateful for. They could be as random as: the smell of freshly laid out bed linen. A year after filling it out, I notice the small things and everywhere and every day; it humbled me.

The book picture in the middle of the image above, is my most recent purchase and my current favourite. I take 5 minutes a day to fill out a single page. It helps me check ins with my feelings and my thoughts, it also helps me focus on what really matters, and prioritise what I’ll be doing for the day. I like to complete it early in the morning, so that it helps me set a good mood for the rest of the day. I highly recommend it.

Volunteering

For those that don’t know, I work in the healthcare industry. The largest one in the capital to be exact and while I might not be on the frontline, I volunteered to move from my current department, to work behind the scenes, to help take and raise complaints on behalf of the COVID-19 patients, their loved ones and those in panic.

It’s been a surreal journey, overwhelming to be honest. Some days I want to shut my phone off and not talk to anyone, and some days I feel like a superhero because I calmed and guided those that were in panic. The things I hear on the phone can be truly heart-breaking, but I have never been through a more rewarding experience in my life. Volunteering is genuinely good for the soul in my opinion.

Following the Chef’s Footsteps

I thought that since we’re on quarantine, I might take a leap of faith and get back in the kitchen. I used to love baking, but the corporate life consumed me. I also like to believe that my mom is a great cook, she used to spend hours watching MasterChef and Hell’s Kitchen, she would do well if she went in to compete.

Every day, I step into the kitchen with mama and try to be more hands-on, I watch what she does and it’s safe to say that yesterday was my first attempt at making a Saudi Kabsa and I passed (considering that it needed salt, LOL, but it wasn’t bad). Generally, it’s a good time to burn a meal or two, in the hopes of not food poisoning my future husband.

Hunting down offers

Since the lockdown began, a lot of businesses are offering discounts. I’m currently going crazy over furniture deals, they’re just too good. I scour Instagram accounts and websites daily for unbeatable deals. It’s a good time in invest in whatever it is you have your heart set on right now if you can afford to.

Daydreaming

On the days I feel down, and when talking to my family or friends doesn’t help, I use my imagination. I try to imagine what will happen and what I will do when this nightmare is over. I also envision my wedding and the celebrations we will have, and it helps. We are human and often overthink, I try to remember that patience is key and that everything happens for a reason!

Your COVID-19 Bride, Dana — @dhajjaj