How to Explore More while at home
By: Haley Cottey
By now you are probably going stir crazy. No matter where you live, we are all practicing (or should be practicing) social distancing and have had minimal interaction with other people and have not left our houses as much as we usually would. This can take a toll on you mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health. However, now is a GREAT time to Explore More and tackle some of those projects, hobbies etc that you keep saying you don't have time for. So lets try to think about positive things instead of dwelling on the negativity and stress that seems to be permeating the whole world right now.
- ExploreMore of your Home
- This may not seem as fun but it will help you have mental clarity when your surroundings are clean and free from junk and clutter. When my house is a mess, I know my mind feels hectic and I have more anxiety. So give your house a good clean, organize that closet or drawer or whole junk room that has been collecting junk for months. Throw away things that you don't need or are broken. Start a donation box and start getting rid of those clothes you never use and those kitchen appliances that are still in the box. Simplify your life and pay attention to how your anxiety decreases when your house is put together.
- ExploreMore Hobbies
- Now is a great time to take up yoga or try out that craft you have always wanted to learn. YouTube is a great place learn basically anything you want. Make it a goal to practice something new every day for the next 30 days.
- ExploreMore Books
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That stack of books you have that you keep meaning to get to? Now is the time! If you are like me and can disappear into Netflix, block off an hour of your day whenever you are able to just read. Or make a deal with yourself that you can't watch Netflix until you read for a full hour (or 30 minutes; whatever is feasible for you) and before you know it, that time frame will be easy and you will be reading even longer. Don't forget to support local bookstores and your local library. If you need suggestions, head over to Bibliobar (a local online and pop up bookstore in DFW) and check out their selection. - ExploreMore Health
- If you were an avid athlete before the quarantine, you likely have already decided what your routine would be during this time but if you had no health routine or were trying to get back in the habit of eating healthy and working out; then a stressful time like this can easily throw us all off track. However, now we have more time than ever and so now is the BEST time to build some discipline, try new healthy recipes and get back into a workout routine.
- ExploreMore of your neighborhood and nature
- If you are able, go for a daily walk for at least 30 minutes (while keeping 6 ft distance from other people). Check out areas of your neighborhood you may have never seen or didn't notice before. Admire the houses/chalk art/yards etc. Practice walking meditation. Find a local trail or river and go for a socially distant hike, bike ride or kayak. If nothing else is available then just sit in your back yard and soak up the fresh air for at least 30 minutes a day. This is SO important to spend time outside. Nature is critical to overall health and recovery if you do get sick. I could dive into this but I'll leave it simple for now.
- ExploreMore Relaxation
- The idea that you have to be productive during this time can be more harmful than helpful. It puts a lot of pressure on an already stressful situation. Allow yourself time to relax and be UNproductive. It is totally fine to binge something on Netflix. It is completely acceptable to sleep in. We all know ourselves best and if you are slipping into depression, then seek help but if the pressure to be productive is stressing you out, give yourself permission to do nothing. If you are a parent who is now working from home AND teaching, you DEFINITELY have permission to do nothing when you get the chance. Don't try to tackle a bunch of projects. Be realistic with how you handle this time and remind yourself, this too shall pass.
Try to find ways you can still Explore and almost enjoy this time at home. We are all in this together and you are not expected to be happy right now but there are things we have control over and there are things we do not have control over. We can't control the world but we can control our attitude and our actions. So keep exploring! I'm going to explore some Netflix for the rest of the afternoon.
ExploreMore!
