If you're anything like me, you're getting really tired of hearing all about the COVID-19 (CoronaVirus) Pandemic that is currently sweeping across the globe like a scoop of ice cream that accidentally dropped onto summer-hot asphalt.
It's everywhere you look, and sticks to everything it touches, and no matter how many times you wash your hands, you still find drips of it in your hair and on your clothes when you least expect it.
Whether you're actually quarantined, or just stuck at home because the schools are closed, most businesses are closed, and you have no other childcare options, being home-bound for long periods of time can quickly become tedious, and, well, sometimes vexing. Cabin fever sets in, and suddenly you're struggling with depression, frustration, anxiety (more than normal), and a whole slew of other emotional and mental struggles, in addition to the ones we already deal with every day.
Luckily, we live in the virtual age, when connecting with other people via video and phone is easier than ever, and we don't have to even touch social media to do it! (Thank goodness.)
We put together a list of ten ideas of ways you can fight off the inevitable Isolation-Fever.
1. Take an online class. No, I'm not talking about more school classes. I'm talking about fun things, stuff you've always wanted to try, but never gotten around to, like painting, or knitting, or auto-mechanics. There's a popular paint class company that has recently begun offering virtual classes. You can take this virtual class with a group of your favorite friends, even! Now, the question here is, really, why wouldn't you jump on this bandwagon?
2. Get creative with outdoor activities. I mean, sure, maybe you're quarantined, but so is the majority of the modern world right now. It doesn't mean we can't leave our homes at all. Go outside, take a walk (while keeping the recommended 6-feet of distance from others) and notice the details. The caterpillar on the ground. A bird on the telephone line. The dragon-shaped cloud floating by. While you're out, take a moment to notice something with each of your five senses. Run your hand through the thick grass, breathe in the fragrant, spring air, hear the sounds of the breeze, fluttering through the trees, taste the cool, clean water you're sipping while you're out. Make a game of asking your children (or companion/s) to describe the things their senses notice, and see how similar they are to yours. This activity will help you all become grounded, and give you a moment of peace. As well as some natural vitamin-D!
3. Journal. Yes, seriously. Journaling our thoughts and life experiences can often be a cathartic way to process the events that we weren't prepared to experience. Whether you use loose computer paper, a dollar-store notebook, or an expensive, leather-bound high-end book, the effect will be the same. For some people, writing an experience on paper, and really feeling it through the act of pouring the words out, truly helps aid in healing. Someone once told me that the Native Americans had a tradition of writing down their prayers, then lighting them on fire, so the smoke would carry the words to heaven (to the Gods, or the ancestors, or whatever supreme being you might believe in). You might think such a romantic sounding notion should be the stuff of fiction, but alas, it's actually not. Many modern-day energy healers will recommend something similar, and those who do it swear by it. Just, please, don't burn your house down trying to do this. No, really. Burn your journals outside!
4. Organize something. It doesn't matter what it is, as long as it's something that bothers YOU. Something you see regularly that could be done better. A mental-health podcast I listen to once used a linen closet in an analogy of life. In the analogy, she talked about how badly the haphazard state of her linen closet bothered her for months and months, until one day, when she was feeling like she was losing control of her own life, she decided to take control of that closet. She removed the entire contents, sorting each item into a keep, toss, or donate pile, and then folded the "keep" things into neat and orderly stacks. She dumped the other two piles into trash bags, and hauled one to the local dump, and the other to a second-hand donation facility. At the end of the day, she crawled into bed, satisfied that she'd taken control of one thing that was within her power to control. And that closet became an inspiration for many, many other similar projects. My friends, I must admit, now is one of those times when it will not hurt one bit for us to organize the linen closets of our lives!
5. Create. Whether this involved learning a new skill, or dusting off an old one, there will never be a better time for you to re-discover your inner joy through creation. Make a fairy garden. Plant some seeds and watch them grow. Write a short story, a book, a screen play, or a song (or *coughcough* a blog). Play an instrument. Sew something fun! Redecorate your bedroom. My friends, I even give you permission to draw pictures on the sidewalk with chalk. Which brings me to number 6 on this list.
6. Embrace your inner child. Yes, you heard me. You know the one? That little boy or girl who used to love blowing bubbles, painting with finger-paints, and building forts? Remember that time you spent the whole morning packing a picnic, so you could serve your friends a feast on the back lawn? (Keeping social distancing in mind, of course.) Seriously, when's the last time you remember building a fort out of couch cushions, cardboard boxes, and the comforter from your brother's bed? Admit it! You probably once made a queen or king's crown out of paper, or a Native American headdress out of paper feathers you found in your mother's crafts drawer. There is NO REASON why you shouldn't do these things now. There are no rules that require you to act like a grown-up 100% of the time. You're stuck at home, so be a kid and live a little!
7. Read (aka travel). Okay, now, before you start listing all the books you should be reading for work, allow me to offer another option. Fiction. Be it thrillers, crime novels, romance, epic tales, or young adult fantasy, by reading fiction, you have an opportunity to travel to any location, during any time period, and experience any sort of life that interests you. Sure, you could plow through that stack of leadership books your boss recommended six months ago, but, while that might help your work-self, what is it really doing for the part of you that longs to get out and do something? Yeah, I thought so. Not much at all. Here's the deal. I hereby give you permission to use your personal isolation time (time when you are off the company clock, obviously) to read whatever. You. Want. Because you can. And should. The end. (And PS Amazon has literally millions of low-cost and free e-books that you can download anytime you want. Even if it's 4:00 am and you can't sleep.)
8. Get Physical! Remember that 80's song by Olivia Newton-John? (Okay, so I totally just dated myself, but whatever. I digress.) Do exactly that. Listen to your body, and get moving. If you have stairs, use them! Put on your favorite workout song, and see how many times you can go up and down the entire flight while it plays. No stairs? No problem. Our amazing Julie is offering virtual yoga classes to current company clients. If you're not a current client, that's okay too. Julie has also done a mindfulness blog, on which you'll find lots of free ways to reconnect to your physical self, no matter how much space you have to work with.
9. Cook / Bake. You know something I've always wanted to figure out? How to bake bread, and actually be successful at it. For some reason, the whole let-it-rise thing has never quite worked out for me. Maybe it's a matter of patience, or not enough kneading? Or maybe I don't use enough yeast? I don't know. Years ago, I had high hopes for getting bread-baking lessons from my mother-in-law, but sadly, she passed before we got around to it. Regret is a tough thing to live with, I tell you. She did teach me a LOT about cooking, though. In fact, I daresay that I learned enough that I could probably compete on an episode of Chopped and not be the first person eliminated. I can get extra-creative when I set my mind to something. Still, baking bread is the one thing I have yet to master, and the one thing I'd still like to learn. If there's going to be something good that comes of being quarantined, let it be that you (and I) finally master baking that bread! (Or whatever thing you've always wanted to master.)
10. Host or attend a virtual party. I actuallystole borrowed this idea from a friend, who hosted a virtual party last weekend. When I first received the invitation, I thought... hm. How is that going to be fun? A bring your own beverage video party? Kind of sounds like hanging out at an event alone, right? Only, when I signed onto the call, I was immediately greeted by 15 other people from around the globe, each wearing a variety of indulgent headgear (tiaras, pirate hats, fedoras, unicorn horns, etc). And everyone had a chance to weigh in on each chosen topic. No, we did not stick with just one or two topics, but multiple. There was singing, toasting, laughing, joking, and even a live tuba solo. (True story!) The thing is, there are no limits to the joy you can unleash when you gather in a common place with a group of your favorite people. Even if that common place must be a video chatroom. So go, now! Plan your virtual gathering today. I promise, it will help you feel a little bit less isolated, and more connected to your people than ever.
That's it for now, ladies and gentlemen. But worry not! We'll be here indefinitely, posting thoughts, ideas, and inspiration for your enjoyment.
Stay healthy out there!
Nichole
It's everywhere you look, and sticks to everything it touches, and no matter how many times you wash your hands, you still find drips of it in your hair and on your clothes when you least expect it.
Whether you're actually quarantined, or just stuck at home because the schools are closed, most businesses are closed, and you have no other childcare options, being home-bound for long periods of time can quickly become tedious, and, well, sometimes vexing. Cabin fever sets in, and suddenly you're struggling with depression, frustration, anxiety (more than normal), and a whole slew of other emotional and mental struggles, in addition to the ones we already deal with every day.
Luckily, we live in the virtual age, when connecting with other people via video and phone is easier than ever, and we don't have to even touch social media to do it! (Thank goodness.)
We put together a list of ten ideas of ways you can fight off the inevitable Isolation-Fever.
1. Take an online class. No, I'm not talking about more school classes. I'm talking about fun things, stuff you've always wanted to try, but never gotten around to, like painting, or knitting, or auto-mechanics. There's a popular paint class company that has recently begun offering virtual classes. You can take this virtual class with a group of your favorite friends, even! Now, the question here is, really, why wouldn't you jump on this bandwagon?
2. Get creative with outdoor activities. I mean, sure, maybe you're quarantined, but so is the majority of the modern world right now. It doesn't mean we can't leave our homes at all. Go outside, take a walk (while keeping the recommended 6-feet of distance from others) and notice the details. The caterpillar on the ground. A bird on the telephone line. The dragon-shaped cloud floating by. While you're out, take a moment to notice something with each of your five senses. Run your hand through the thick grass, breathe in the fragrant, spring air, hear the sounds of the breeze, fluttering through the trees, taste the cool, clean water you're sipping while you're out. Make a game of asking your children (or companion/s) to describe the things their senses notice, and see how similar they are to yours. This activity will help you all become grounded, and give you a moment of peace. As well as some natural vitamin-D!
3. Journal. Yes, seriously. Journaling our thoughts and life experiences can often be a cathartic way to process the events that we weren't prepared to experience. Whether you use loose computer paper, a dollar-store notebook, or an expensive, leather-bound high-end book, the effect will be the same. For some people, writing an experience on paper, and really feeling it through the act of pouring the words out, truly helps aid in healing. Someone once told me that the Native Americans had a tradition of writing down their prayers, then lighting them on fire, so the smoke would carry the words to heaven (to the Gods, or the ancestors, or whatever supreme being you might believe in). You might think such a romantic sounding notion should be the stuff of fiction, but alas, it's actually not. Many modern-day energy healers will recommend something similar, and those who do it swear by it. Just, please, don't burn your house down trying to do this. No, really. Burn your journals outside!
4. Organize something. It doesn't matter what it is, as long as it's something that bothers YOU. Something you see regularly that could be done better. A mental-health podcast I listen to once used a linen closet in an analogy of life. In the analogy, she talked about how badly the haphazard state of her linen closet bothered her for months and months, until one day, when she was feeling like she was losing control of her own life, she decided to take control of that closet. She removed the entire contents, sorting each item into a keep, toss, or donate pile, and then folded the "keep" things into neat and orderly stacks. She dumped the other two piles into trash bags, and hauled one to the local dump, and the other to a second-hand donation facility. At the end of the day, she crawled into bed, satisfied that she'd taken control of one thing that was within her power to control. And that closet became an inspiration for many, many other similar projects. My friends, I must admit, now is one of those times when it will not hurt one bit for us to organize the linen closets of our lives!
5. Create. Whether this involved learning a new skill, or dusting off an old one, there will never be a better time for you to re-discover your inner joy through creation. Make a fairy garden. Plant some seeds and watch them grow. Write a short story, a book, a screen play, or a song (or *coughcough* a blog). Play an instrument. Sew something fun! Redecorate your bedroom. My friends, I even give you permission to draw pictures on the sidewalk with chalk. Which brings me to number 6 on this list.
6. Embrace your inner child. Yes, you heard me. You know the one? That little boy or girl who used to love blowing bubbles, painting with finger-paints, and building forts? Remember that time you spent the whole morning packing a picnic, so you could serve your friends a feast on the back lawn? (Keeping social distancing in mind, of course.) Seriously, when's the last time you remember building a fort out of couch cushions, cardboard boxes, and the comforter from your brother's bed? Admit it! You probably once made a queen or king's crown out of paper, or a Native American headdress out of paper feathers you found in your mother's crafts drawer. There is NO REASON why you shouldn't do these things now. There are no rules that require you to act like a grown-up 100% of the time. You're stuck at home, so be a kid and live a little!
7. Read (aka travel). Okay, now, before you start listing all the books you should be reading for work, allow me to offer another option. Fiction. Be it thrillers, crime novels, romance, epic tales, or young adult fantasy, by reading fiction, you have an opportunity to travel to any location, during any time period, and experience any sort of life that interests you. Sure, you could plow through that stack of leadership books your boss recommended six months ago, but, while that might help your work-self, what is it really doing for the part of you that longs to get out and do something? Yeah, I thought so. Not much at all. Here's the deal. I hereby give you permission to use your personal isolation time (time when you are off the company clock, obviously) to read whatever. You. Want. Because you can. And should. The end. (And PS Amazon has literally millions of low-cost and free e-books that you can download anytime you want. Even if it's 4:00 am and you can't sleep.)
8. Get Physical! Remember that 80's song by Olivia Newton-John? (Okay, so I totally just dated myself, but whatever. I digress.) Do exactly that. Listen to your body, and get moving. If you have stairs, use them! Put on your favorite workout song, and see how many times you can go up and down the entire flight while it plays. No stairs? No problem. Our amazing Julie is offering virtual yoga classes to current company clients. If you're not a current client, that's okay too. Julie has also done a mindfulness blog, on which you'll find lots of free ways to reconnect to your physical self, no matter how much space you have to work with.
9. Cook / Bake. You know something I've always wanted to figure out? How to bake bread, and actually be successful at it. For some reason, the whole let-it-rise thing has never quite worked out for me. Maybe it's a matter of patience, or not enough kneading? Or maybe I don't use enough yeast? I don't know. Years ago, I had high hopes for getting bread-baking lessons from my mother-in-law, but sadly, she passed before we got around to it. Regret is a tough thing to live with, I tell you. She did teach me a LOT about cooking, though. In fact, I daresay that I learned enough that I could probably compete on an episode of Chopped and not be the first person eliminated. I can get extra-creative when I set my mind to something. Still, baking bread is the one thing I have yet to master, and the one thing I'd still like to learn. If there's going to be something good that comes of being quarantined, let it be that you (and I) finally master baking that bread! (Or whatever thing you've always wanted to master.)
10. Host or attend a virtual party. I actually
That's it for now, ladies and gentlemen. But worry not! We'll be here indefinitely, posting thoughts, ideas, and inspiration for your enjoyment.
Stay healthy out there!
Nichole
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