It’s been nearly two weeks since California placed an executive order to shelter in place. Since then, our community has stood in solidarity to comply with the order, social distancing ourselves from each other (even though physical distancing seems like a healthier way to describe it) in order to save lives.
During this time, we’ve been called to learn how to homeschool our kids, face the cancelation of community events and activities, adapt to working from home, and at times, live without essentials that were deemed non-essential. We most certainly have stepped outside of our comfort zone.
As we approach more time at home to beat this pandemic, there are a few things that continue to resonate with our team and families that we wanted to share: Love, hope, kindness, and community have not been canceled. It’s become our mantra and we hope it becomes yours too.
We know that you’ve probably been inundated with recommendations for activities and things to do at home to stay productive and engaged. We find that some recommendations focus on zoning out, so we wanted to offer a few recommendations to help zone in and bring some peace of mind during these uncertain times.
Listen and learn together with kids
Whether you’re a parent or just have little ones in your life, you might be asked by a child about what’s happening in the world right now. What’s a virus? Does it have a color? Can animals get it? When will Chuck E. Cheese reopen? The answers to these questions can be hard to explain in simple terms.
We discovered this recent podcast by The Daily that thoughtfully and simply answers a lot of these questions. We highly recommend listening with the kids or on your own to construct helpful answers.
Build spiritual immunity with daily rituals
Like you, we’ve seen our social media feeds filled with free classes, online courses, exercises, and tips from organizing your closet to mess-free cooking with kids. Online communities are growing rapidly and it’s amazing to see how everyone is sharing their skills, talents, and expertise.
This information can also be overwhelming! There are more choices than ever before. One thing that we are keeping in mind is the things that have always been available to us. Simple things like walks, listening to music, or conversations with friends may provide stress relief to build your spiritual immunity.
Once you have an understanding of what those things are, make them a non-negotiable part of your day. Explore what you would like to share with your household and what you might need to experience on your own.
When in doubt, move your body
As far as fitness goes, yes, we miss our gyms and group fitness classes. I’m sure we would all like to come out of this shelter in place order as svelte fitness superstars, but working out at home is no easy feat. Finding time to just move your body, whether that be a neighborhood walk or impromptu dance party, can also burn off those calories. No need to be hard on yourself about that pushup challenge.
Take a news break or limit the time you spend online
We’re all guilty of spending more time online these days. We like the idea of a virus-free news day or at least limiting news to a certain time frame. It’s important to be informed, but minute-to-minute updates can be stressful. Create some limits that work for you.
Plan your cheat meals
This is a practical and helpful tip that can save you from those guilty feelings. If you’ve been snacking more than usual, you are not alone! A fully stocked kitchen is tempting EVERY minute. Comfort foods offer, well, comfort, and nostalgia which are all welcome right now. We suggest planning your cheat meals so you don’t feel so guilty about them. Support a local restaurant by ordering some takeout and it will make you feel even better.
"Doing nothing is doing something"
We’re quoting Winnie the Pooh here, but you have to admit, it’s a brilliant idea. Although the inclination may be to fill our days and nights with activities, news, and entertainment, taking the time to sit with the feelings we are experiencing, whether that’s stress, anxiety, or sadness can dissipate them. Schedule some “nothing” time into your day.
We hope that these ideas are helpful to you. In times like this, we may have to be separate to be together, but the good stuff will persevere with attention and compassion. We’re in this together.
The Stephanie Younger Team