It was the worst of times. It was the best of times. That was the classic beginning to Charles Dicken’s “A Tale of Two Cities.” It doesn’t just have to be a quote in a book. It can be a way we survive through this pandemic.
Good morning. It’s a new day in the United States. Recently here in my native state of Georgia, places like gyms, hair salons and bowling alleys were opened up to try to reignite the economy. A lot of people are nervous. You can include me in that group as I have an underlying condition called cystic fibrosis which primarily affects my lungs and therefore I am one of those at high risk. Am I a bit scared? Sure. Do I have a solution? Yes, I do.
If you’re not comfortable going out right now, simply don’t go out. I know not everyone has that option as some people are financially in flux and must keep working to survive. To those people I say to please do all the research you can, stay six feet apart from everyone and wear your masks wherever you go. If you’re sick of what you see on the news, simply stop watching. And if you’re simply sick of feeling “stuck” at home, get unstuck.
How do you do that? Well, the first two suggestions I proposed are easy. Stay at home (if you can), turn off the TV and take a break from social media. The third one is a little more complicated but very doable. How do I know? Because I’m doing it.
So what do you do if you feel stuck at home? Change the way you look at things. Don’t look at staying home as an obstacle. Look at it more as a challenge – a challenge to you to get your life in order.
Let’s start with your physical health. This is a great chance to find a great exercise program. Just because you don’t have a gym doesn’t mean you can’t exercise. There was a guy the other day who ran a marathon in his apartment. Yes, I said that right. And no, he did not own a treadmill. That may a bit on the extreme end. Even if you don’t have a single weight, you can exercise. You can do pushups, jumping jacks, crunches, sit-ups and so many other exercises. If you have a workout band and/or a jump rope, there are more exercises that you can do. Find a program that works for you and stick to it. You can also go for a walk or even a light jog and if you’re concerned, you can wear some sort of a mask to cover your mouth. If you have a personal trainer or know of one, see if they’ll train you virtually. I know that many trainers are doing that now.
Let’s say you want to lose weight, here’s another great opportunity. Try to eat better and do some research into a plan that works for you. There are so many different diets out there but you definitely have time to try a few. Make sure you consult your doctor first before you try anything to make sure it won’t be a problem for you.
In my opinion, before you can start any diet or workout plan, you have to be prepared mentally. Roughly 18% of the adult population in the United States deals with anxiety and another 18 million adults deal with depression. Those numbers are probably higher than ever now given our circumstances. If you deal with either of these, here is a good opportunity to try meditation or maybe calling and/or doing zoom conferences with your friends. If that doesn’t work, there are therapists that are doing virtual sessions. I currently work with both a psychiatrist and a therapist and I am having phone conferences with both since the beginning of the pandemic.
There are other great ways to stay busy. Perhaps you want to organize your storage closet. Maybe you want to work on those jigsaw puzzles you’ve had for years or play board games with your children for the first time in years. Maybe you want to spend some time with your spouse or children and get to know them a lot better. These are all positive ways to spend the time.
It was the worst of times. It was the best of times. I say to stop concerning yourself with the former.” This doesn’t have to be the worst period of your life. In fact, maybe by improving your health, your attitude and your relationships, this could somehow be the best.
Live your dreams and love your life.
Andy