19 Apr SPECIAL SERIES – PT I: Staying Sane During A Pandemic
It’s been a little over month that the COVID-19 pandemic has hit home. We’ve been practicing physical distancing, staying home, and trying to adjust to this new way of life.
There are days where you might see the light and feel positive. Other days, you may feel scared and cry.
You may feel guilty to be home while front line workers are out on the field. At first it was nice to have a much needed break from the hustle and bustle of your everyday life, but you may now struggle between wanting to be productive and taking this time to rest.
The question: “Shouldn’t I be doing more or contributing to society in a meaningful way?” may be keeping you up at night.
You want to find the balance. To get grounded again.
First, know that you are not alone.
We are living through an extraordinary situation. One most of us could have never imagined. We must be gracious with ourselves and others as we are all experiencing this for the first time.
That being said, it’s ok to not know what to do. We are trained to want to know the answers. To know what’s next. To plan ahead. With so much uncertainty right now, the part of us that we call “anxiety” is having one hell of a time trying to drive us crazy! Anxiety thrives in moments when the future is uncertain. However, YOU are more than feelings of anxiety. Slow down. Take deep breaths. Give yourself time—although it might feel like this has been going on forever, in reality, we’ve only been living through this for a very short while.
I know that you want to figure out how you can make the most of this time, be productive, and get your goal-getter self back in action. However, before we touch upon productivity, let’s reset a few simple foundations to make sure that you are staying healthy: mentally, physically, spiritually, and financially. Ok?
Over the next few days I’ll be sharing simple—and actionable—things you can to feel strong and balanced.
Once we’ve got your strength and balance back, we’ll dive into what’s next for you. Or chances are that as you implement these elements, you’ll be catalyzed back onto your path.
We start with something so simple you may think I’m joking. I’m not. There is power in simplicity and in getting back on track may require going back to the littlest things. So let’s get to it!
Get Dressed!
Initially, it might have felt exciting to be able to spend your days in your sweats or the new lululemon outfit you ordered online just before getting laid off.
Now it seems that even your sweats are getting tighter. Your hair is getting greasier. Your razor has started rusting in the shower. And you’ve forgotten where your favourite shade of pink lip gloss has gone.
Stop it.
Break that cycle right now.
Jump in the shower. Treat that beautiful skin of yours with a DIY coconut-sugar scrub. Assuming you have a spare razor blade, shave them legs and underarms. Or if you’re like me, wax. *See note below*
Be grateful for access to hot water and then finish with 30secs of cold water—at the very least on your face.
Pat yourself dry in your freshly cleaned towel—remember, these should be washed every few uses or once a week or so.
Pluck your eyebrows. Moisturize all over. Do your hair and makeup as if you were going out to a special event. Put on your favourite piece of jewelry. Wear an outfit that you feel beautiful in.
Now tell me, how do you feel? 2x better? 10x? 100x?
BONUS: Paint your nails or set an appointment with yourself to do so!
NOTES:
Cold Water: If you feel sluggish, don’t just make a cup of coffee or collapse infant of Netflix, use the power of cold water! I like to start the morning with a warm face cloth followed by a cold one. Feels great!
Waxing At Home: Does the idea of waxing scare the shit out of you? Do not fret. Chances are your leg hairs are at the perfect length to give this a go! And if your pharmacy is right next to the grocery store, it might be time to sanitize your hands and get equipped! I’ve been waxing for years and am a big fan of these products from Epildou. Take it nice and slow and you’ll get the hang of it.
Pick Your Favourite Outfits: Go through your closet and lay out 3-5 outfits for quarantine that make you feel great inside and out. You may even want to try these on to confirm that they still make the cut! Seeing these laid out in front of you (and on you) will create a powerful connection to the power of dressing up. Who said quarantine is only for sweatpants and stained tees? Pull out those dresses.
You can still wear sweats BUT… Give yourself a cut-off time each day to be in your pjs or set designated days to stay in them all day if that’s what you crave. Or if you feel like wearing spandex all day, treat it like a uniform, do your hair, and for the love of God make sure your armpits are fresh!
I look forward to hearing what this sparks in you!
Tomorrow we’ll look at movement!
With love & light,
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