Hear me out. I get that this is uncharted territory in history. We are part of a weird and, for some, frightening time as a nation and as humans. No one can control a virus pandemic. But we can control our response to it.
Like I said before, it is a frightening time for many. And that is okay. Feelings of anxiety, fear, depression, anger, and despair are totally valid. Millions have lost jobs, a steady income, simple daily freedoms or loved ones during this quarantine time. It is normal to feel those things and it is good to acknowledge them. The danger lies, however, in getting stuck in them.
Here’s what I mean: mindset is everything. Ignoring problems or feelings does not make them go away, so I’m not disregarding how you feel or your experiences right now. But I am challenging you to take the way you are feeling and find a solution to produce feelings of the opposite.
For example, if you are fearful make time for something that brings you peace. If you are depressed, find something that produces joy in you. If you are angry, express thankfulness for the people and things you have in your life. Make a daily practice of it and see how your mindset changes!
Quarantine doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom. We have more time than we ever have had before. Many are annoyed by this or brought to boredom, but if we can channel this time correctly I believe we can set ourselves up for great success as our lives return to “normal.” It’s not about going 0 to 100 overnight. It is about making small changes, small improvements, small victories – the 1% better each day.
With that being said, I’ve been thinking a lot about the things I could daily improve to make myself better on the other side of quarantine. Here are some of the things I believe could help make quarantine the best thing that’s happened to you:
- Get adequate sleep every night. I know that sounds so simple but sleep is neglected by almost everyone. It lets the body reset and recover- especially after working out by producing human growth hormone and protein synthesis. Also helps reduce inflammation and stress, and improves your attention and memory. 7-9 hours every night. Show your body some love.
- Try new, healthy recipes. If you find yourself becoming undisciplined in your eating habits or overeating out of boredom, try out some new and healthy recipes! You might stumble across something that you love and is easy to make. And it will help you become more aware of what you are putting into your body.
- Pick a weakness(es) and work on it! This can be a weakness in the gym or outside of the gym. Mobility, push ups, getting outside, cleaning the house, etc. Normally the things you hate doing are the things you are bad at doing. So choose one and take 2-3 weeks, create a plan of action and practice everyday!
- Talk to a loved one. Make some time everyday to FaceTime, Zoom, or call a friend or family member you haven’t gotten to see or talk to since quarantine happened. Catch up, talk about how you’re feeling, have fun and enjoy seeing each other.
- Create a morning routine. Whether you wake up early for work or not, find a morning routine that works for you. Maybe that’s going for a walk, enjoying a cup of coffee and reading, journaling, or enjoying the silence. Starting off your day with structure will help you create structure throughout your day and, in turn, make you more productive!
The goal of these five things is not to create another “to-do list,” but rather to produce joy and productive habits that will help you survive quarantine and thrive once we get out of it. Remember, it’s about the small, everyday improvements that make us better! Hope this helps you turn your quarantine around and make it the best thing that’s happened to you!
-Your CFMI Coach, Toni.
