Make the best of your time during this stay in shelter season.

Hey there! Hope all is well. Today we are going to hang out and talk a little about the effects of COVID-19 and ways that you can still find joy in the midst of this crisis. The coronavirus is affecting us all in some way or another. While this is a scary and unexpected time, I am suggesting that we try to make the best of this situation. We are resilient people and we know how to make a way out of no way. I encourage rather being disappointed, instead let’s find inspiration and motivation to drive us throughout this moment in time.

There are many occupations that are not considered essential business and therefore they are losing money at this time. However, I’ve seen some people in those nonessential businesses taking on other tasks and/or creating something new to attempt to stay afloat. For instance, there are some hair stylists that cannot go into salons for their usual appointments, but they have created products that they are selling in lieu of regular business. There are also seamstresses and those in the custom clothing businesses that have started making masks to send to healthcare facilities. In this unstable time, they are still finding ways to make do.

For those of you that are not able to go into work at this time, this is a moment for you to reflect and regroup. Take this opportunity to figure out some new ideas.

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You can start a potential business that could be a temporary means of income or become something more long-term. On another note you may begin a new hobby that you enjoy. Because you cannot make your normal income, see what you can create during this downtime. Also since you are mostly required to stay at home, think of ways to make your home better. Clean and organize those areas you’ve been complaining about that you can’t get to because you work. Find other ways to improve your home and make it more enjoyable for everyone. Try out some small home improvement projects. I don’t suggest tearing down any walls or pulling up flooring unless you have that kind of patience, skill and money, but maybe rather find a small space you can update.

Start with a hallway closet you have only used to hold junk. Clean it out by giving away some of those objects you haven’t used and trash the rest that may not be in the best shape. Get some paint to freshen up the space and then add pieces such as a small bench, ottoman or chair. Dress those articles up with a plush pillow or a soft blanket. Include some inspirational quotes or small paintings on the wall and a side table with a trinket or two. Now you’ve transformed what was once wasted space to a quiet area for either prayer time, reading or even just some alone time in a place where you can be unbothered. Hang a white board, chalkboard or cork board to the outside of the door where a written message can easily be changed as needed. This way each person has their own alloted time to spend in the quiet room. For those of you that struggle to be in the same rooms all day everyday, this provides a very small and different change of scenery for you. Each person can make it his/her own during their time by bringing in specific pictures to hang and other whatnots to their liking.

Now this quiet room can be the motivation to spend more alone time with God. It will allow you to schedule your time to sit down each day and hear from and speak with God in a way that maybe you haven’t done in a while. You can delve more into the Bible and create a devotional and reading plan for yourself. During this moment you could also read more books. It can be a how-to book to learn to become better at something or you get to dig into a good novel you’ve been eyeing but just couldn’t figure out where to plug in reading time.

Also during this time, take the opportunity to catch up on some shows you may not normally get to watch. It is not my advice to become a couch potato and start watching every kind of show imaginable, but definitely get a show or two in from time to time that you enjoy. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a little TV therapy. Entertainment can provide a temporary relief from your normal day to day routine.

Get outside and enjoy the sun and fresh air. Admire the clouds and listen to nature. Style yourself in some nice clothes and have a photoshoot. Take a look around your house and maybe even find some things you can update on the outside. Plant some new flowers or start a vegetable garden. If you are a runner, go for a run. Try to add some mileage to your normal routes or work on getting a litter faster and shorten your time for those usual distances. For those like me that do not prefer running, go on a light jog or walk around your neighborhood. This could become your new normal. Not only are you getting in some exercise, but you never know how relaxing a simple walk can be for your mind to decompress and take away from the stress and anxiety you may be dealing with right now.

All other things aside, if you don’t do anything else I challenge you to spend time with your family. If there wasn’t a more perfect opportunity to bond with family members, especially in your home, THIS IS IT! Sit down with everyone that is of age to understand and come up with a time of day that works for each person. Maybe you all decide that family dinner is going to happen as often as possible. Or you create game time for a few days throughout the week. Whatever your coming together consists of, just come together!

‘Til next time I’ll leave you with this. Whatever you do, please don’t waste this opportunity. Regardless if you choose this time to be productive or to have fun, please just do something you’ve never done or haven’t done in a long time. It is my hope that you don’t look back once this moment passes and think to yourself “if only I’d done this or that.” Make the best of a bad situation and try to enjoy every moment of it. I totally believe there is always a bright side to everything, you just have to willingly do the work to find it. Lastly, in my Andra Day voice, “And we’ll rise up high like the waves, we’ll rise up in spite of the ache, we’ll rise up and we’ll do it a thousand times again.”

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