Beach Closed – I was looking for pictures to share in my blog post today from my Southern California Vacation. I came across this photo from Universal Studios which is from the Jaws Movie set. I’ve heard some of the beaches have closed access to promote social distancing. This unprecedented time is very serious and I have shared with you I’m a registered nurse so I understand. At the same time I am trying to remain calm and keep things lighthearted.
My article today is about taking this time to stop, reflect, and try something new. One of my staff members shared a reflection asking us to take time to think about our World right now and consider this a chance to heal even amidst the circumstances. While we shelter in place, finding ways to stay positive, fresh, and creative can be overwhelming.
The climate is a stressful one right now, so today I thought we could focus on some ideas that will keep us fresh and look forward to a time when we can get out and about again. Here are some ideas you can consider for yourself or your family.
- Plan a future vacation -some family members are out of work so this is a financially stressful time, planning a future vacation as a family though may brighten the day. Consider web searching destinations, planning what you will take and how you will save up
- Try a new craft – I’ve been working on my cross stitch/needle point. It is not new for me but does help me relax and seeing it come together brings me a smile
- Jigsaw puzzle – I bought us a 2000 piece puzzle of a Thomas Kinkade painting
- Lego’s – I challenged my son to building something new out of his hundreds of Lego pieces (And yes they are all over the floor and thank God our dog does not eat them)
- Using virtual tours online – Art museums around the world offer virtual tours
- Use this time to educate our children – I remember stories during war time my grandma shared with me and that has shaped my view of this time in our world, today we talked about how businesses must stay creative in the face of change and find new ways to practice
- Try staying engaged in club activities using social media platforms
- Make a video of your own DYI project and post on social media
- Try family paint night – order some painting supplies and try your own family paint night
- Print new recipes and try something new – consider teaching your kids to cook a gourmet meal
- Family games – we have been playing Boggle, Scategories, and Trivia to keep our minds fresh, this morning’s Trivia was Marvel Trivia which I lost at big time
- Take a walk – use social distancing while getting out of the house and when I’ve worked remote, I put in my headphones and walked during the conference call
- Plant a garden or start planting seeds – I am not a green thumb and have not had much look at growing food, but now is a good time to learn
- Set limits on screen time if possible – this is a hard one and my teenage son loves his screen time, but we are trying to limit it somewhat and play games and exercise to stay healthy and keep our minds active
- Challenge yourself or your kids to read a new book
- Finish a project – I saw a funny joke on Facebook about how we put off our projects or do not have the time to finish them, maybe now is a good time:)
- Write a story or as a family have one member start a story, write a few paragraphs and then pass off to the next family member until everyone has had a turn, read the completed project together
- Volunteer to pick up groceries for your elderly neighbors or check in on them using social distancing
- Set up a makeshift camping site in your living room (lawn chairs, lantern, sleeping bags) and make S’mores or other fun camp food, tell stories by lantern light
I would love to hear your ideas for being creative during this time. For those who are directly impacted by the COVID 19 virus, my thoughts will be with you. Every day I practice staying compassionate and seeing this around me renews my faith in being human.
The Beach will not stay closed forever! Stay safe and healthy.
Mandy