*Note: This was written in March of of 2020, during the first ever week of lockdown.*
Confusion. Boredom. Fear. Loneliness. Frustration. Anxiety. Irritation. It's okay to not be okay! We're all experiencing emotional waves during the current global state of emergency regarding COVID-19. And still, what if we could thrive amidst the chaos?
What if our time spent at home during lockdown was used intentionally?
What if it was...dare I say...enjoyable?
* I want to make this very clear: I am not attempting to ignore or diminish the many awful effects this global emergency has introduced. It's important to recognize any dark thoughts and feelings with awareness, as opposed to avoiding negative emotions with toxic positivity. *
I am huge believer in approaching everything with intention. The way I see it is, there are three ways to approach times of darkness:
Avoiding all circumstances and emotion.
Sinking into a dark hole, swallowed by stress.
Bringing awareness to stressors and proceeding with intentional redirection.
I am here to remind you that, if you are blessed with good health, being forced to spend time at home during Coronavirus lockdown can provide unique opportunity to regenerate and blossom.
Here are are 10 Creative Ways to Thrive During Coronavirus Lockdown:
1. Write down everything you want.Write it all down. Everything. Vision board it. Talk about it with a friend on the phone. Chat about it with your roommate. Whatever feels most enjoyable to you. Some questions to consider:
What kind of of person/partner/colleague/friend do you want to be?
Where do you want to be in 5 years?
What do you want to communicate in your current relationships?
What mythical creature do you want to embody in human form?!
2. Send love letters.What thoughts of gratitude do you want to express to loved ones? Write notes through this cool service that allows you to create and send snail-mail cards all from your computer. Or, write simple notes of love and gratitude via text or email.
3. Imperfectly meditate.I know so many people who avoid meditating because they don't know how to do it perfectly. Guess what: You don't need to know how to mediate in order to meditate, because there is no right or wrong way. By choosing to sit down to meditate, you are meditating. Focus on the space behind your head. Focus on the repeating the word "nothing" and see where your mind wants to pull your attention. Listen to your favorite song on repeat. Check out free guided mediations on Youtube, The Chopra Center, or download a Mindfulness App. You can literally change your brain with meditation.
4. Visit a virtual museum collection. There are many art collections from around the world that are viewable online. Browse through them, invite a friend to join via video chat, and allow yourself to be inspired. Which pieces resonate with you emotionally? Which do you like the most? Which do you not like? Which remind you of a specific person, experience, story, or brand? Why? Ask yourself these questions, and perhaps you'll walk away learning a bit more about yourself.
5. Binge watch Netflix and play all the video games. I know what you're thinking: "How could this possibly help me thrive, and how is this creative?" If you actually allow yourself to rest, chill out, and be lazy without guilt, then you're making room for more productivity, creativity, and joy in the big-picture. Here’s the perfect opportunity to practice what it feels like to actually allow yourself to have a moment of intentional laziness.
6. Bake things with 3 ingredients.You likely already have these things in your pantry. Make something simple, nourishing, and tasty. Eat it while you're watching all the Netflix. Here are some ideas:
7. Take an online course. There are plenty of fun courses available online! Take classes from an accredited university, or other class hubs like Udemy, Hubspot, and MasterClass. Here are some cool courses I've found:
The Science of Wellbeing (Yale University) *free!
Public Speaking: Adding Hollywood Magic for Public Speakers (Udemy) *$10.99
Rupaul Teaches Self Expression and Authenticity (MasterClass) *$15/monthly
8. Host a live virtual play reading, music show..or any show! Remember that script, poem, song, or idea that you've always wanted to share online, but were too afraid to do...perhaps because you wouldn't have any viewers? Well, guess what! Everyone's at home, and they want to be inspired and entertained. Give it to them. Stop caring if it's good or not. Create just to make yourself and others feel alive.
9. Do online workout videos.Get in those creative and varied workout routines— without the gym or group fitness classes. Find new ways to move and appreciate your body! There are plenty of free resources available online that have great workouts. Or, create your own circuit workout organized by muscle group.
10. Create your own e-book.If someone were to ask you to feed them your most valuable knowledge, what would you teach? Share it in an e-book. The beauty of an e-book is...you can self publish it AND it doesn't have to be 100 + pages. 30, 20, even 10 pages will do! There are plenty of resources online, such as Lulu or Canva, that making creating your own ebook very doable. Not sure where to begin? Check out this course.
Remember: We're a global community. We're all collectively taking care of ourselves and each other. Let's support each other in anyway we can.
What are you up to during lockdown? Comment below. Let's continually spread all the lovin', ideas, and expansion. Let's blossom and THRIVE through this together.
Remy Teicher is a creative professional, content writer, storyteller, social media professional, and meaning-maker.