At 10 weeks (and counting) into quarantine, it’s understandable if you and your loved ones are simply “over it”. I’ve heard this from friends and family, and I get it. Even if you started out positive during the first few weeks, it’s normal to be feeling less than upbeat now.
I consider myself an optimistic, glass-half-full person. It probably comes with the territory of being a business owner – you learn resilience rather quickly! And I’ve been told by a few of my boss-lady friends that I’ve been inspirational and motivational in keeping their spirits high during the past couple of months.
Believe me, I have had my moments of feeling down, particularly on rainy days when I’m not able to go outside and enjoy the beautiful weather. When I experience days like that, there are a few new habits I’ve created in order to stay positive (and even feel perky!)
Walking
The first week of lockdown, I didn’t step outside. For someone who typically goes stir-crazy after 24 hours at home, it was rough! I knew I wouldn’t survive staying inside, so since then I’ve been walking on every nice day. I often drive to local spots for a change of scenery, and enjoy getting in my car, rolling down all of the windows, and blasting some feel-good music as I drive. While it may not be the ideal escape, it’s definitely better than the alternative!
To be clear, I’m not the outdoorsy type and typically spend most of my time inside working. Walking 4 or 5 times a week gives me time to decompress and appreciate the great outdoors. I’ve even developed some semblance of a tan (which never happens this time of the year) and I’m sure it’s doing wonders for my Vitamin D. Best of all, this change of pace has allowed me to be present – and that has been refreshing!
Distant Socializing
Living alone during quarantine, I knew I needed to stay connected with my tribe and loved ones. I had the free version of Zoom and quickly upgraded to Pro! It was a no-brainer for me, as I knew that otherwise, I would have felt disconnected from human interaction. I use it to communicate with everyone, and while obviously it doesn’t replace in-person get-togethers, I have been so grateful for this technology.
New Self-Care Habits
I attribute a large part of my positive vibe during this time to my new healthy self-care routine. After almost two months of quarantining, there were some areas that I really wanted to improve. I decided to record my food intake, exercise, and moods during each day to develop my mindfulness. I now start off each morning drinking a lemon elixir (a special lemon-water beverage that I make), and during the day I eat a clean, whole foods diet (gluten, dairy and processed sugar-free). In just a few days, I have felt happier, more energized, and alert.
We are all preparing for life to be different once the world opens up again, but it would be wonderful to incorporate some of the new habits we’ve created during this time into our daily living routine. In fact, just thinking about that brings a smile to my face. We can personally come out of this sad, difficult global experience feeling better about ourselves and our lives. To build resilience, it’s essential to stay focused on the positive – for our own mental and emotional wellbeing.
