Planning for Life Post-Pandemic
Hey y’all. I hope you’re all staying safe and healthy during these times. In an effort to keep myself busy I’ve been sharing with you how I’m passing the time while self-quarantining - blogging is a great creative outlet! My favorite part of the day has been my daily walks. I love seeing all of the beautiful spring flowers and citrus trees that are in full bloom in my neighborhood. It not only lights up my day, but it’s also reassuring to know that springtime and the power of Mother Nature is alive and well.
On my walk this afternoon, I was listening to an interesting podcast that resonated with me about isolating and being in a cocoon of four walls in our home during COVID-19. It was thought-provoking with many questions being asked from listeners like “What is the story you’re going to tell months and even years from now?” It was talking about these Stay At Home orders and us being in our little cocoon during quarantine being very similar to the same struggles and transformation of a caterpillar emerging from its cocoon as a butterfly. We will emerge from this better, and we can use this time in our cocoon to create, to contribute and to explore our capabilities. It’s in times of struggle that we gain strength. After all, while the beauty is in the butterfly, the growth is in the cocoon.
Below are the “5 C’s” that were discussed in the podcast I was listening to. I provided a quick recap of the concepts and then shared how I’m applying them in my life. I hope you find them as interesting as I did!
The 5 C’s That You Can Do While You Are Cocooning:
Clarity: What’s the most important thing to you in your life? In your career? In your relationship? This is about who you are and who you want to be. You have your to-do list and this is your to-be list.
For me getting together with my family in-person and getting to hug my little granddaughter Elle is the most important thing for me on my to-do list. The zoom meetings and happy hour calls, the FaceTime calls and the Houseparty app have all worked its magic during this crazy time, but I am craving in-person family dinners and nights out with friends more than ever before. My good friends who know me well know that it’s “my people”, my loved ones and my friends that rock my world, not my things.
Care: Self-care is not selfish. We’re not just talking about hygiene but we’re also talking about mental hygiene and mental health and mental fitness. If you’re focusing on everything dark, the challenge is that you’re missing the things in your life that you can feel grateful for like possibilities and opportunities. Self-care is falling in love with that person you see in the mirror that has been through so much, but is still standing.
Self-care for me during this time has been essential. I’ve been enjoying my daily outdoor walks more than ever before. I’ve also been doing some exercise videos. Some I’ve really liked and others were too difficult, but for the most part they’ve been really helpful. My relaxation meditation apps have really come in handy during this time. I’ve also been doing some hydrating hair and face masks that I normally don’t make the time to do. The other thing that has been important for me has been limiting the time I spend in front of the news.
Contribution: It’s hard to be scared when you’re helping someone else. The antidote to fear is service and giving. Fear can actually give you courage. Where can you put your time and your talent to make things better? Where can you contribute? Something as small as calling a friend or loved one to check on them is a way of contributing and being helpful.
During this time, I’ve published three blog posts and have been active on social media, and hopefully I’ve been able to provide some useful information to all of you during this quarantine period. One of the blog posts was on social distancing activities and the other was on companies that are offering non-medical face masks for sale online. There are many ways in which we all can make a difference during this time if you’re able to. Food banks need our help. Meals On Wheels also needs our help. Blood banks are in need. Order takeout or delivery from your favorite local restaurants. They need our support. During this time, I have made donations to organizations providing food relief to people affected by COVID-19. I’ve also purchased the masks we are using from small businesses who are in turn donating additional masks to the medical community as well as those on the front lines dealing with this pandemic.
Create: Where can you be creative? How can we make this time isolating creative time?
My blog is my big creative outlet, and where I’ve been spending a lot of time during this pandemic. I’ve also been trying to cook creatively with the ingredients that we have at home since I haven’t been in stores to actually grocery shop for specific recipes. We’ve been making lemonade out of lemons and having fun doing it!
Capabilities: To be list, to-do list and to-learn list.
One thing that I’ve always wanted to learn to do was to try to make a challah from scratch and I finally found the time to do it. The hardest thing about it was trying to find the yeast, but thank goodness for Amazon. They came to my rescue. I’ve never made any kind of bread that required yeast and kneading dough, so this was a first for me. I felt like it was such an accomplishment when I took it out of the oven. It turned out delicious, and wow, did my home smell good!
I’ve knocked several other things off my to-do list, but not all. I’ve cleaned out and organized cabinets in my bedroom and bathroom as well as all of my make-up drawers. I tossed out old hair care products that I no longer use. I got rid of old lipsticks and mascara as well as expired sunscreens and medications. I also gave my drawers that I keep my travel accessories in a much needed Marie Kondo-ing. The other two big things that I really want to get done are cleaning up my emails and deleting photos. I’ve already started cleaning up my emails and oh my! What a job this is. After I finish this project, I know it will feel like a huge accomplishment. The next project will be organizing and deleting photos. I don’t even want to tell you how many photos I have. I know I’ll feel great after all of this is done, but in the meantime, it’s tedious.
My Quarantine Routine- The Little Things That Make Me Feel Normal
Hair Color: I’ve never colored my hair before in my life, but you can learn how to do anything on YouTube! I’ve heard good things from friends of mine who have been ordering their hair color online from a company called Madison Reed. There have been numerous videos on YouTube of how to cut and color your hair if you need a tutorial.
Nails: My nails have been au natural now for weeks. The last time I went this long without nail polish was probably when I was 18 years old. I actually used to polish my nails every week in college! Olive and June has a great “at home” manicure kit if you’re interested in doing your own mani / pedi! It’s actually a great deal and I’ve ordered the studio box kit for myself.
Skin Care: There are many at-home facial kits and masks to buy out there. One of my favorites for my eyes is the Glow Up Beauty eye mask pads. These hydrate, brighten and de-puff.
Health & Wellness: Now is also the perfect time to reschedule any missed medical appointments that you may have had during this time. Many doctor and dental offices have someone answering the phones even if they aren’t seeing patients, so call and make your appointments now so you can get on their schedule. Also, take a look at your insurance coverage. Make sure you’re taking advantage of all of the services your insurance covers. Now more than ever we need to focus on our health and wellness!
Home Repair: After spending so much time at home, I’ve become aware of little maintenance things that need to be done around my house. I haven’t wanted anyone in my home during this time, as we’ve been trying to keep our home safe. However, I am now in the process of scheduling these home appointments because I know there will be a backlog with these companies too.
Looking forward to the Future
Here’s what I’m doing to plan for post-pandemic. First of all, I think it’s important for us to reach out to the companies and people that we depend on in our daily life. Many businesses and individuals have started scheduling appointments again and by attempting to schedule yours, you’re giving the businesses hope. They need to know that they will have clients and customers to take care of again. Let them know you’re here and that you’re okay.
I’ve reached out to my hairstylist to let him know that I want to get on his schedule as soon as the salon opens. I know we’ve all been dealing with our own “hair maintenance” situation and many of us have probably already colored our hair at least once. There are some salons and colorists who have been dropping off or mailing color kits to their clients which has been quite helpful.
I know we’re all ready for this situation to be over. For me personally, trying to use this time to accomplish things I have had on a to-do list for a very long time makes me feel less stressed about being confined to my home. Creating a sense of purpose for my days is how I cope. Beginning to make plans and appointments for my post-pandemic life is my way of focusing on the light at the end of the tunnel. This is how I remain positive. What works for me might not work for others. However it’s important that everyone cope in their own way - just please always keep in mind that you’re not alone.
Virtual Hug,
xx Barbara