As we are now five to six weeks into being confined to our homes as part of the safer at home order, negative thoughts and anxiety can really start getting to you. There are days that I have good hours and bad hours and I’m full of emotion. One minute I am very upset by something I see on the news and the next I’m belly laughing at something shared on social media. It’s such a confusing time for us all. I often say if you don't laugh, you'll cry. That's very fitting right now.
In difficult times, it can be so easy to forget about all of the blessings in our lives and certainly the past couple of months. 2020 has already proved to be a memorable one, and whether you choose to find something positive that this quarantine has brought to your life, is completely up to you. I want to urge everyone to try and make the most of this time at home with your family. This is time that you’ll never get back and, while it’s stressful, I hope you can find the beauty in it. Deciding to be positive is a daily, sometimes hourly, choice we make.
I know that I have so much to be thankful for and I don’t want to take it for granted. This unexpected gift of time gives us the perfect opportunity to become more productive and organized. It gives us a chance start those projects that we’ve been pushing off or revisit some old hobbies you may have put aside as life got so busy. This is a great time to do things that will improve your home, your physical health and mental well-being, whatever that may look like for you.
Studies show that exercising is very important for your mental and emotional health. Sure, it’s easy to fall into a bad habit of plopping in front of the TV to watch the avalanche of news, eating comfort food and forgoing your daily physical activity. I did that myself. But you should try keep your routine as best you can to remain productive. This doesn’t mean you should deprive yourself of some time to just relax on the couch but try to have some balance. Right now, streaming services are pushing out new content for their viewers and this is the perfect time to take advantage of that. I watched a documentary last night that I wouldn't have watched because I was looking for unique content to improve my mood.
More importantly, when you’re thinking about making the most out of the last week or two of quarantine, I hope that will include other people. Whether it’s with your friends, family or co-workers, it is so important to stay in touch with the people you care about. Thanks to platforms like Skype, Zoom Meetings and Netflix Party (and many more), it will help to feel like you are still together. Many people have gotten creative with these types of platforms including Zoom (like Zoom happy hours or Zoom birthday parties).
I have a weekly happy hour Zoom call that I make with my gal pals and it's always a mood boost each week at the end of the call. It's therapeutic to catch up on their lives (the good, the bad and the ugly) and for us to collectively share in this experience. We're there for each other and it's such a positive reminder.
With this gift of time, I was able to focus on a project that we as a company had put on the back burner, which is the Goal Posts Podcast that launches this week. I’m very excited about bringing some insightful interviews to listeners and sharing my journey as a professional in the sports and entertainment industry. I also try to limit my intake of the news all day and just catch up at night. That helps me stay productive and on target. I’m spending more time reading my Bible and getting into the Word as well as taking daily walks and listening to business podcasts.
It's important not to dwell in the negative and try to stay focused on the positive. Now, more than ever, it’s so important that we see the glass as half full. That positive mentality will help keep us moving in the right direction. I encourage you to use this time at home to focus on the things that matter most to you. Be safe and stay healthy!
Well, that’s all I have for now.
Special thanks to Sarah Parish for her assistance with this blog entry.
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