May 6th, 2020

Finding the good in the bad

Mo Business Club fundraiser Richard Villarreal on how COVID-19 has allowed him to spend more time with the people he loves.
2 MIN READ
 

My 2020 New Year’s resolution started out with a couple of fitness goals like focusing on losing weight, participating in another Spartan race, or possibly a marathon.  My resolution each year is to stay as healthy and fit as I can.  Unfortunately, I have seen too many family members suffer because of a lack of fitness and physical activity. If they'd done the same, maybe my mom would still be here, maybe my dad wouldn’t have Diabetes, and maybe some of my cousins wouldn’t have passed away so young. 
 
Thankfully, Movember has helped me to focus on my physical and mental health.  However, 2020 has adjusted my perspective and has helped me to see my life in much clearer lens than ever before. Maybe it’s a mid-life crisis or just the thought of fatality from COVID-19, but my resolution has shifted to an overall approach of staying healthy physically, mentally, spiritually, financially and emotionally.  Over the past several weeks of working remotely, I have noticed I feel better than I have in a long time.  At first, it was difficult and the thought of being locked up at home was daunting.  At times, it certainly has its moments, particularly when trying to find the balance between work life and family life.   
 
With that said, I’ve noticed how much more time I have and how I prioritize that time. Normally, I spend so much time in the office, on the road commuting back/forth to work, mixers, networking, etc.  Now, I’m making dinner for my family, playing catch or soccer with my boys, working out more than ever during my lunch time and catching up with my friends from college and high school.  I have learned more about my co-workers in the past weeks than I have in the last few years.  I have never felt so connected to everyone in my life than I have right now.  Staying home is not as daunting as I thought, it’s a blessing and I’m thankful for this time.