Thriving in a #StayHome World

If you had asked me 10 days ago to predict what life would be like right now, I would have been egregiously off mark. I felt the media was being its sensational and opportunistic self, bombarding people with fear mongering and scare tactics.

It's a humbling experience to dig into the facts, speak to friends in the healthcare arena, and read about families stripped of their loved ones and their health. So, I stopped rebelling and, instead, began mourning.

Mourning lost freedom, mourning a quiet house not overrun with wifi warfare, mourning conversations that didn't contain coronavirus, mourning an inbox barren of "what we're doing for COVID-19," mourning income shifts, mourning stocks that were not nosediving, mourning the ability to simply go out for breakfast or a sushi dinner, and mourning the long-anticipated Hawaiian vacation that would have taken my preschooler and me through LAX and OAK this week.

In lieu of dismissing my feelings as selfish, I gave myself one week to grieve. First world problems or not, I needed to embrace the hurt, the sadness, the frustration and the confusion. On the other side, I see it's time to establish a new norm.

cultivating resources
Almost unknowingly, I have been spending a lot of time over the last week cultivating resources. Here's what I have to share:

Scholastic stepped up with at-home learning for pre-k through 9th: https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html (free books and resources)
Educational sites by subject:

Comprehension: https://readtheory.org/
Linguistics: https://www.duolingo.com/
Math, Social Studies, ELA: https://www.freckle.com/
Science and History: https://www.discoveryeducation.com/
Coding: https://www.codecademy.com/

Virtual happy hour, virtual birthday and virtual collaboration via https://zoom.us/
Sending gifts and pick-me-ups to others: https://www.cratejoy.com/gifting/holiday-shop/ or vino https://www.winc.com/
Workouts that keep you vital and not vegging: https://www.onepeloton.com/app or https://www.lifetime.life/lp/video-workouts.html

cultivating c.a.l.m.
Now for something a bit more mindful and soul-stretching. Here's a mantra I'm using to keep the peace within and help me reflect the love of God to everyone:

c compassion—for self, for family, for the jobless, for the hungry, for the sick, for neighbors, for other countries, for the people of this world (every one of them)

a awareness—hand washing, respectful distance, meal planning, pausing to pray or meditate, limiting media time, talking with not just "at" my family

l light—stoking the flames of optimism, exercising hope, being full of faith, sending little notes to others, using kindness as a currency, forgiving without being asked

m motivation—not losing my fitness progress by making excuses or binge eating, keeping a schedule for myself and my kids, cleaning the house, writing this blog, getting outside for a walk, turning on upbeat music to dance out the stress

I invite you to stay c.a.l.m. and be a positive force during uncertain times. Much love.

Thriving in a #StayHome World

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