How are you doing these days?
I hope you are finding ways to enjoy life despite the cancelled plans, stay-at-home orders, and empty grocery store shelves. Life is not how we would like it to be right now—but then, life is rarely exactly how we’d like it. The trick is to make the best of whatever life gives you.
Most of us living in this country have never experienced anything as drastic as this virus pandemic, but we’ve all faced plenty of smaller disappointments, detours, and dilemmas that have derailed out plans and ruined our fun.
We can fume over what has been lost, or we can accept this new normal and find ways to make the best of it.
Looking at the brighter side
If you look at things from the right perspective, the quarantine has given many of us time for the kinds of good things I often talk about:
- Reduced busyness
- Cutting back social schedules
- Slowing down
- Spending time with family
- Free time to invest in a hobby
- Opportunities to learn something new
If this describes you, how have you been making the most of your extra time?
I hope you aren’t wasting precious opportunities. This situation won’t last forever (even if it feels like it will). Ten years from now, will you be able to look back with gratitude at the good things that came out of these crazy months?
I hope so.
Have you been intentional about connecting with family members?
My husband and I have an empty nest, but we’ve been intentional about spending some of our extra time connecting with others through calls and video chats. What about you? Are you making the most of this chance to strengthen connections with others or are you allowing social distancing to drive you into isolation?
Have you made the most of the extra hours in your schedule?
My brother-in-law has been happily crossing household projects off his list. My neighbors have been puttering in the flower beds. Many friends have been sewing masks or cranking out other kinds of craft projects. I see posts on Facebook about kids and parents having fun with baking projects. The list is endless. Have you been making the most of your time you aren’t spending chauffeuring kids, running to meetings, and doing all those other things that once filled your schedule? I hope you’ve found something productive to spend your time on.
Have you explored the abundance of free educational and cultural offerings available on the internet?
I don’t think there have ever been so many opportunities for free or almost-free educational content. Free live theater recordings, authors reading their books, zoo and museum programs, webinars galore.
Last week I attended a full-day virtual writing conference for only $10! If you haven’t found something new to learn during this time, shame on you!
Have you found ways to work around your constraints?
A video chat is not the same as meeting in person, but it’s a lot better than not meeting at all. We’ve learned to adapt our expectations and make the best of it. What constraints do you face in your new normal? Can you adjust your expectations to make the best of the situation?
Mother’s Day is coming up. Most of us won’t be able to celebrate in the usual manner, but that shouldn’t keep us from finding other ways to connect and make our moms feel appreciated. How will you make the best of Mother’s Day this year?
How will you make the best of life this week?
