I kept thinking “isn’t a pet supposed to be good for my mental health?” Everyone else seemed to be talking about all the “free time” they had in quarantine, which, truthfully, has felt elusive to me even though my time has been flexible. I have been squeezing running and studying in where I could around work and Scarlet’s needs.ĭays initially felt BUSY. My life quickly went from a 9-5 work routine, evening runs, and study sessions (I’ve been working towards a masters in business on the side), to constant puppy “potty runs” every few hours and putting-up baby gates so my dog didn’t chew my condo to shreds and so that I could maintain some level of focus and sanity. While doing remote therapy sessions took some adjustment (learning new technology, ensuring client privacy, etc.), it came with the opportunity to have a more flexible work-life schedule, including training a puppy and running and hiking more frequently. When the pandemic hit, our service shifted to an entirely remote model. I do have a day job where I work at the University of Waterloo as a psychotherapist, and almost all my work has typically been in-person with face-to-face meetings. While running and being an athlete for Smartwool is something I love to do, it’s something I do for fun on the side. It really has been an interesting time of life with both challenges and opportunities.įor a while, I had been thinking about getting a dog as a (running and otherwise) companion. Recently, as restrictions here have lifted, Scarlet and I have occasionally been spending some time in Toronto at my parents’ home as we are able to keep a safe physical distance in the space that they have for us.
I live alone with my pup, Scarlet (a six-month-old Aussie cattle dog) in a small but cozy condo that backs onto a beautiful forested area that hosts a local trail system. I live in Waterloo, Canada where I have been quarantining for the past few months. Here is Cassie's quarantine routine, the sixth in our series. In times of greater restriction, we just need to get more creative in how we do this - and that’s what I’ve been trying to do." "I think mental wellness is found in a tricky balance between acceptance of how things are while not settling for stagnation but working towards growth and evolution of ourselves. "These things keep my mind fresh and my heart excited," she says. As one who works in mental health, Smith understands that the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting quarantine is a serious challenge, but one that can be overcome with good habits, but also creativity and trying new things (including getting a new dog and picking up her grandfather's harmonica). She's also the FKT relay record holder for the 900-km Bruce Trail amongst many other athletic achievements. She was a member of the Canadian Trail Team from 2015-2017. Cassie Smith is an Ontario-based ultra runner.
0 kommentar(er)
