Strange times

These are strange times. However, we will get through this time together and come out stronger on the other side.

Last week I travelled to Indiana for a sales training class.  I was a little apprehensive at first flying there, but I convinced myself that everything was going to be fine.  While I was there, I guess I was in a little bubble and didn’t really pay much attention to the outside world. (When you go to a sales training you are usually inside all day and stay in at night to study and practice sales messaging.)

Towards the end of my training I started paying a little more attention to the news.  I was aware that weird things were starting to go on, but I had no idea what I was coming home to.

Fast forward a week:

On my way home, a friend of mine texted me that when I got home I needed to go to the store because people had been crazy buying everything up. Toilet Paper, eggs, hand sanitizer.   She also said that the schools are shutting down and they anticipate everything closing.  WTH???

Each day is changing rapidly.  Yet every day at home is starting to look the same.  I keep hearing that these are unprecedented times, and I have to say, I’ve never experienced anything like it. 

As of this week, I am working remotely from home.  My days inside are like the movie Groundhog’s Day. Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful and thankful to have a job, it’s just weird not being able to just get up and go.  It’s not like my husband and I really do a lot, but just knowing that we can’t, is strange. 

Every day the news gets more and more depressing and I have decided not to watch it anymore.  If I need to check on latest CDC recommendations I can go online to the website.  What is extremely disheartening to me is that every day there are more and more deaths.  This is so disturbing.  The thought that this virus could cause the same havoc here as in Italy is frightening. 

So, I have decided to use my newfound home bound life to really reflect on what is important. 

First and foremost, my family is doing fine.  Which is the most important.  If they are ok I am ok.

My employer is being extremely considerate, thoughtful and caring, which is so comforting at a time like this.

I have been doing some research on things we could do to make this time more constructive.  What I mean by constructive is not necessarily doing more things than we used to, but maybe doing different things to break up the monotony.

Here are some ideas:

Exercise– So many companies are stepping up and offering free deals and gyms are offering regular classes online. The YouTube channel has a lot of free workout videos as well. Taking a walk or jog outside allows you to get some much-needed vitamin D. Remember, however, to stay 6 feet away from others.

Meditation– This is a wonderful thing to do during stressful, uncertain times.  I have the Calm app on my phone, and they are offering free calming sounds every day.  Headspace is another app and is offering free access to all school’s staffs as well as health care professionals.

Nutrition– There is no time like now to start eating better.  It is proven that the more nutritious food you eat, the better your immune system reacts in times of stress. Like viruses. I have written a book on nutrition and its available at https://acceptingthechange.com/downloads/feeding-the-change-ebook/   Nutrition matters. Food is medicine.

Cooking- It’s a great time to spend more time in the kitchen. Since we can’t really go anywhere, it would be a good time to cook those recipes you’ve been wanting to try out. Americastestkitchen.com is a website offering 50 free recipes to try! Many grocery stores and Amazon will deliver your groceries too!

Online courses– You can take free courses from Ivy league schools like Harvard and Yale on classcentral.com. One that I thought might be interesting is “The science of well-being”. Another one from Yale is “Introduction to classical Music”.  Why not? Another idea is generalassemb.ly it has a free intro to coding class.

Watching movies/binge watching shows- This is a guilty pleasure of mine. A great series on Netflix is called “Outlander”.  Based on the novels by Diana Gabaldon. If you’ve never seen it, check it out.  I love this show!

Animals– If you just want to chill, being with your pet is so calming (most of the time).  Cuddling and just having them with you can make you less anxious.

Games- I used to love playing games with my kids when they were young. Boardgames are fun to play with other family members and can last a long time! LOL!  I have several games on my phone too and they help me pass the time. A lot of games are free to download.  I love Words capes! Solitaire is an oldie but a goodie and is already downloaded on most phones.

Duolingo – Want to learn a new language? Duolingo is a free app that teaches you how to speak another language. Its set up like a game and is super fun!

Museums -Virtual tours of museums locally and around the world- I love this idea! Go to artsandculture.google.com.

Host an online dinner party– You can achieve this by using platforms like Skype, Facebook, Zoom, your iPhone and they are all free to use.  That way you feel like everyone is there! This is a great way to stay in touch with friends.

Crafts– The internet has so many DIY websites that can help you pass the time.  How to make laundry soap or how to chalk paint furniture.  I have done these crafts by watching videos online. I even did a wall with shiplap that I learned on YouTube!

Read – I belong to a book club and we meet once a month reading books chosen by different people in the group.  We go over the book and have dinner. We meet at different people’s houses every month.  I think our next meeting we are going to start our new virtual club!

Clean – Some people may think this is dreadful, but I think cleaning is therapeutic.  I feel so much better when my house is clean and orderly.  (I’m a little OCD) It’s a great time to clean the garage that you keep putting off!

Plant a garden – This is something I’m going to do soon. It is planting season and I have an area on my side yard that would work great.  A couple of my friends from book club have gardens and have given me pointers on how to start.  They told me to follow guides online and it will be fun.  Time will tell…

Broadway shows– Performance venues have cancelled all their shows.  Metopera.org is offering free nightly opera streams.  They are showing encore presentations daily.

No agenda– What if you just do nothing. Be okay with it. Be still.

Remember during this time to be kind and patient. I have already seen so many great acts of kindness and I know we are going to get through this strange time together.

Be Safe,

Diana