Shobha Jayadev, 68: Finding meaning in retirement

After being hospitalized with COVID last December, Shobha found herself exhausted, depressed, and socially isolated. She didn’t feel like talking to anyone. One day when she was browsing through Facebook she saw the GetSetUp classes, started taking a few, and liked them.

“Because I had so much time and was not keen to talk to anyone, it was an excellent way to keep myself occupied. I'm a social person and love to talk to people, but I didn’t want to speak to anyone during that time, so GetSetUp was a great help. When I started taking meditation classes, I felt that I had found my oasis.” 

She felt that she and other women her age had been floundering. They were used to moving around freely but with the pandemic that freedom was curtailed.

“GetSetUp helped us a lot. It became my anchor.”

When her granddaughters were small, she helped care for them. But as they got older they didn’t need her as much and she felt lost. 

“Now I’ve found a reason to get up and get ready. I don’t feel lonely, lost, or unwanted anymore because I’m learning to persevere. I’ve met a lot of like-minded people.”

When she was younger she had a passion for singing. But over the years, she wasn’t comfortable singing publicly. 

“I can sing on my own, but that’s no fun. In a class, there are so many of us. When I sing, and they say, ‘Shobha, you sang well,’ that cheers me up so much. Everyone needs encouragement and to feel appreciated."

She’s also found art therapy classes on mental health have helped her find the hidden depth inside. 

“I know who I am, but I didn’t know what was deep inside my psyche.”

Her advice on living a full life:

“Live and let live with gratitude. Look for the blessings! Never give up. I count GetSetUp as my biggest blessing of 2021.”