Be Productive! Be Still! Reach Out! Dig In! In the 36 days of my quarantine, all of those messages and more have shown up in my head as well as my social media news feeds.
Is there really a BEST way to respond to the most unusual time of all of our lives? Whose message is the right one?
As with most other things, you are the best expert on you. What serves you well during any other time of uncertainty or duress?
We all have a resume for tough times and hopefully got through most of them still standing. What had worked in the past for you? There are many right answers for how to cope.
Sorting Photos
For some of you that will be taking on projects: Clearing closets or basements, categorizing books, organizing photos, sorting recipes.
Maybe learning new skills is your coping M.O. Someone I know is learning French with Duo Lingo, another is baking bread for the first time. Trying something new uses part of the brain that also makes you feel good. An extra bonus right now.
Baking!
But if you’re not wired that way, you will likely only feel frustrated.
Maybe, adding SLOW to your day to day is most lifegiving. Stopping to smell the roses even if they’re not really there yet. Letting go of the pressure to perform even if it’s just in your own kitchen. Sleeping later, going to bed earlier, taking long walks, does that sound like you?
Walking into Spring
Many have reported that the early days were filled with novelty then intensity then calm. My own response followed those lines. The first few days felt so surreal then I started making lists. Part of my coping plan for just about everything. Then I modified the list as it was stressing me out!
What was essential to you? What can you let go of? What always works for you? What never works? Even the best ideas of someone else might not work for you.
One thing that does work for almost everyone is to laugh more! We are watching Seinfeld for the first time ever to guarantee times of laughter. 30 year old episodes but works every time! Last night we checked out John Krasinski’s SGN (Some Good News,) hilarious and heartwarming. https://bit.ly/3crfC9A
Even though we are well into these days with more on the way, figuring out your best Covid response will serve you well for this and the inevitable next crisis.
Hope for the Best.
Tish
Hope for the Best 