A Loving and Productive Use of Isolation and Shelter-in-Place
It’s too easy to get caught up and distracted with everything that’s happening right now. To release fear, stress and anxiety, we can choose instead to focus on the opportunities and blessings around us. Here are some that come to mind, you have the opportunity to:- REST
- Find new ways to bond and connect with your children and family members
- Create a prayer, family or love corner in your home
- Create a vision or dream board
- Start new hobbies and household projects and/or finish incomplete ones
- Begin new self improvement techniques (ie. learn how to meditate, start a new positive habit, etc)
- Learn something new like a language, how to paint, how to cook a new recipe, how to sew, how to give a massage to your significant other, etc
- Get more exercise and be more physically active
- Reach out to family and friends that you’ve lost contact with
- Start a call tree type program with your church or community members to ensure that the disabled and seniors in your area receive a phone call at least once a day
- Look for other ways to support the elderly and disabled in your community
- Remove old or duplicate files from your computers, external hard drives, cloud drives, cell phones and iPads
- Spring clean your home
- Organize your closets, cabinets, cars, storage bins and boxes
- Look for items in your home to donate once isolation ends
- Start looking for a new job if you need one
- Read books and articles you’ve been saving around the house
- Start a journal
- Start writing your life story for your children and grandchildren
- Begin or continue pulling together your family history/ancestry
- Catch up on any correspondence you’ve wanted to write (ie. hand written letters)
- Organize your physical and digital photos
- Start a blog
- Update programs, computers, cell phones, websites, blogs, etc
- Setup and use the online ebook and audiobook service at your local library (if you already have a library card all of this can be done at home)
- Develop a plan for that business idea you’ve been dreaming about for years
- Start a new beauty or health regime (the one you’ve been wanting to try but were concerned that your hair would be unmanageable for days or that new vitamin wouldn’t quite agree with your stomach)
- Start writing the book that’s been in your heart
- Pray for the world, the United States, your state, your community, your family, your friends and yourself
What would you add to the list?
Just remember to find balance between busy work and self-care. Self-care is extremely important, in order to keep your immunity high, your energy balanced and to stay healthy in general. Self-care can include things like mental and physical rest, doing things you love, exercise and eating healthy foods.
Two quotes to think about:
Sending prayers, love and healing energy to anyone being directly affected by COVID-19.“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” ― Rumi“It’s only after you’ve stepped outside your comfort zone that you begin to change, grow, and transform.” ― Roy T. Bennett