There has been a plethora of blogs, articles, podcasts and TV interviews surrounding the topic of Covid-19 lately. The coverage has been from all point of views; it has covered how to stay free of the coronavirus, our freedom issues and, most of all, the fuss of being isolated and not being able to have fun. But every situation has pros and cons, or cost and benefits. Yes, this pandemic has cost the world so many precious lives, and nothing could replace that loss. And regardless of all our efforts, we feel helpless in the face of the unknown. However, with every human tragedy comes great lessons of humanity, love and financial acumen. It is always healthy to stay positive by looking at the bright side of the picture.

Here are 12 positive gains we’ve gleaned from our staycation:

• A long pause from our fast paced, multitasking lives, which gives us the opportunity to evaluate our purpose in life.
• An opportunity to appreciate our health and the fact that, often, no amount of money could be worth more than our physical well-being.
• An elevated sense of humanity and a greater desire for global connectivity and travel, to see the world and other people.
• An appreciation for our daily freedom, fun and connecting with family and friends.
• An awareness of our finances and understanding the value of wise spending and saving.
• An amazing possibility to want less, buy less and accumulate less.
• The joy of having time to read more and to learn more during our staycation, which allows us to savor small pleasures.
• The joy of being by ourselves and savoring our own company.
• The joy of all the cash we have saved during our staycation by not buying unnecessary material objects.
• Getting the chance to observe the universe by looking more, seeing more, feeling more and appreciating our surroundings, which have gone unnoticed for so long.
• The ability to spend more quality time with our children instead of constantly buying things to entertain and please them.
• Being able to think about the benefits of a lighter and simpler lifestyle through saving time and money for fun and vacations in the future.