"ODAAT" Star Isabella Gomez Is Home Watching This Musical Series

In light of COVID-19, we’re checking in on our favorite celebrities in My Self-Quarantined Life, a series on what their daily lives look like while social distancing.

Isabella Gomez is learning to be kind to herself. Just weeks before the third season of One Day at a Time made its comeback on PopTV, the world shut down due to coronavirus. For the star who’s known as Elena Aělvarez on the beloved sitcom, this period of social distancing is being used for mental health and reflection. “I’ve spent a lot of the quarantine simply trying to listen to what my body and soul want and being gentle with myself and it’s been a real game-changer,” Isabella tells Teen Vogue. “This seems silly and like a no-brainer, but this time has really shown me how much better I do when I’m kind to myself.”

The 22-year-old finds solace in exercising, staying connected with friends, and being creative. She regularly works out and meditates — but she’s also on FaceTime throughout the day to keep in contact with loved ones. “Maintaining my mental health during the quarantine has been a priority,” she says. “That has mostly looked like keeping my To-Do lists short and always having some sort of physical activity at the top of them. At first, I felt a lot of pressure to stay productive and creative, but giving myself permission to get through this in whatever way feels easiest, even if it means not coming out of this with a new skill/hobby/project, has reduced my anxiety a lot.”

Set to star in “Dembanger,” a horror-mystery film, Isabella is looking forward to eventually getting back to work — but more importantly, seeing how the world responds to the drastic culture shift. “I would hope that we all come out of this a little kinder and a little more united. I think this has brought the world together in a way I’ve never seen before and I would love to see the empathy and the willingness to lend a helping hand continue after this is all over,” she notes. “I would also love to see what changes can be implemented now that we know what a huge difference all of us staying home has made for the environment. Maybe those who can work remotely work from home one day a week or something along those lines.”