Health is an all-encompassing term that can allude to a lot of things. Your mind, emotions, and physical body all play a big role in your overall state of health and wellbeing. All things considered, keeping up with your health could be a full-time job in and of itself.

From making time to work out and improve your physique to taking control of your thoughts and feelings, there is quite literally a never-ending list of activities you could add to your routine in order to improve your day-to-day life. Whether it’s incorporating more fruits and veggies into your diet or setting aside a few minutes a day to practice mindfulness and meditation, improving your health is certainly a timely process.

It’s also a process that may have taken a hit during the pandemic. While COVID-19 has had major health implications on a global level, it may have also taken a toll on your own individual wellbeing, whether or not you suffered from one of the 132 million coronavirus cases to date. The pandemic has come along with countless underlying side effects, ones that we may not even be able to recognize still today, that will undoubtedly continue to affect our lives for many years to come.

With the magnitude, importance, and proximity of the situation, it can all be a little overwhelming, to say the least. Okay, a lot overwhelming. Which means the little things like making annual appointments and keeping up with long-distance friendships – both of which can be game-changers in different aspects of your health – could have very easily gotten pushed to the back of your mind, and eventually slipped through the cracks.

The fact that you’re even surviving the global pandemic is truly an achievement in itself. Each day, you get out of bed and conquer the day, maybe with a bit of caution or uncertainty, but you get through it nonetheless. There’s something to be said for that, and you should feel proud of how you’ve adapted and grown stronger in spite of the hardships.

But it’s now been over a year since the initial pandemic lockdown. And while a lot has changed over the past 12 months, there’s still a lot that hasn’t. Like the fact that you’re still delaying that annual doctor’s checkup. In fact, a new study showed that roughly 70% of people put off some kind of medical care during COVID, and 34% still have not received it.

Another survey found that 79% of people have lost touch with someone they considered to be a close friend in elementary or secondary school, despite the fact that the majority agree that the peers they met in school turned out to be their closest lifelong friends. Connections with these types of friends can make dealing with the pressures and chaos of the world a lot less intimidating.

It’s time to take our lives back. So take a minute and think about all the ways you’ve lost touch with your health during, or even before the pandemic. Don’t beat yourself up over it, we’re all guilty. But do take action. You are in control of your own destiny, and you can make your experience a lot more pleasant with a simple booking of an appointment or text to a friend. These small changes may not seem like they will have drastic effects (in fact, going to the doctor may be something you’re dreading), but long term they will change your health, and your life, for the better.