Silencing The Noise And Turning Up The Peace: How to thrive in the midst of the COVID-19 chaos.

In recent weeks, we have all been inundated with COVID-19 news headlines, posts and blogs. Some factual and some leaning more on the side of plain fear mongering laced with half truths or untruths, provoking more fear, anxiety and confusion. Social distancing doesn’t have to be a drag. Life is only as bad as we make it. Don’t feel pressured and shamed and think you have to fill every waking second with being “productive”. It is important to give yourself permission to process your true feelings and sit in them without feeling the need to be positive or happy for others. This isn’t authentic and only harms you and actually prolongs your healing. Many lives have been totally flipped upside down from job loss, school closures, graduation and prom cancellations and more.

It is very normal when going through a crisis to feel depressed, lethargic, irritable, angry, unmotivated, disinterested or just plain numb. Social Isolation may increase the likelihood of and exacerbate mental health issues, thus it is very important that we take advantage of the technology that has been afforded to us. Life happens for all of us and either we take control of it or permit it to take control of us.

Below are a list of fun activities to serve as outlets to help you thrive in the midst of our present circumstances. It is important that we learn to adjust and thrive in this present uncertainty with our peace, zest for life and mental wellness intact and unscathed. It’s imperative we insert some joy and fun into our new normal and turn these sour lemons into delicious lemonade.

Learn a New Hobby

Wouldn’t it be fun to learn to knit, paint, and/or how to cook? How about gardening, learning to make candles and soap and/or how to create beautiful hairstyles to relieve you from spending money at the hair salon? With our current technological advances, we have the advantage of having many modes of learning right at our disposal via ecourses, webinars, YouTube and more. Try learning a new skill and it just may turn into a new business venture.

Try Cooking a New Dish

For those who love to cook like myself, try learning a new recipe and cooking a new dish. There are a plethora of apps, YouTube content creator-“chefs”and websites with delicious recipes for you to try. Just don’t forget to add those veggies to the plate.

Have a Cook Contest

Try having a virtual cooking off with your other home bound friends and loved ones. You can use your other social media friends as judges. Of course the winner would be solely based on presentation because we cannot taste food virtually, but boy I wish we could.

Start a Virtual Book Club

Have you ever wanted to begin reading a book but just didn’t have the motivation? Would you like to learn about new exciting authors and book titles of various genres? Have you ever read a juicy novel and wished you had someone to discuss it with? Well now since you have the time, you can gather some of your literary enthusiasts friends and start a virtual book club. Virtually, you and your friends can share your collective thoughts and opinions about your favorite books all from the comfort of your homes.

Host a Virtual Vision Board Party/Gathering

Vision boards do not have to created at the beginning of the year. In fact, vision boards should be created, reviewed and updated throughout the year. We are all given a fresh 24 hours every day to reset, restart, refresh, renew and recharge our purpose, vision and goals. Gather a couple of your goal oriented friends and discuss your vision and goals together virtually. There is power in numbers and these group of friends can also serve as accountability partners to push the entire group higher and further.

Have a Virtual Movie Night

Did you know you can watch Netflix and chat with your friends at the same time?

Here is how:

1. Visit netflixparty.com in your Google Chrome browser.

2. Click Get Netflix Party for free.

3. You’ll be redirected to the Google Chrome web store page to download the extension.

Click Add to Chrome.

Please Note:

Everyone participating has to have a Netflix account

*You may also download the Rave app on your smart phone to watch Netflix movies, YouTube videos and other videos while you chat with friends.

Bingo!

Try playing virtual bingo place a card on your social media page(s) based on various topics. In virtual bingo, players are asked to mark their card and the first few players who shows proof of bingo, win a prize. Sounds fun right?

Have a Dance Party

Since the social distancing recommendation, we have witnessed many of our favorite DJs help us to get our full boogie on while in the comfort of our homes via Facebook, Live, Instagram live, and Periscope. What a great way to party without the dreadful long lines, club entry fees or the pain from dancing all night in those cute and expensive high heels.

Group Workout

Host a Zumba dance party, free weight session to tone and build/maintain that lean muscle. This would definitely be a fun way to stay in shape and burn off those calories that you’ve packed eating all of those delectable social distancing/lock down snacks.

Most of us have mastered technology so why not use it to our advantage to connect during this time of separation. Learn to make lemonade with the lemons life gives you.

Mindset is everything!

If you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of harming yourself or others, please dial 911 or the

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at

1 (800) 273 — 8255.

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Reed Behavioral Solutions

Instagram: @LeticiaReedLCSW

Listen to my Podcast: Leticia’s Virtual Couch on the Anchor App (Download on your smart devices) and other streaming platforms.

https://anchor.fm/leticia173