Over the past few months, life has presented circumstances that I never imagined (including the passing of my dad – definitely didn’t see that coming). But I’ve learned that when faced with challenges, the things on which we choose to focus and our level of resilience, play a major role in the outcome.
During difficult situations, I generally try to focus on the things over which I have control and make adjustments as needed. In some cases, I relieve myself from a lot of stress and headaches by simply changing my attitude.
For instance, I’ve have been closed up in the house (even more so than usual), as a result of the current pandemic. Instead of sitting in front of the television all day, I’ve decided to put together a list of things to do. You know, the things that I previously thought about doing, but I didn’t have time (or just chose to not make time).
My To Do List:
• Dust all the rooms (especially the cobwebs behind the front door)
• Sweep/mop/vacuum the floors
• Organize the pantry/kitchen
• Clean out the garage
• Purge and organize the master bedroom closet and drawers
• Take a nap or two
I even came up with a way to break the monotony of working from home. Every hour, I jump rope for 1 minute and refill my water cup. This allows me to get my blood flowing and ensure that I stay hydrated instead of just staying stuck in one spot. And let me just say, jump roping for someone 40+ and overweight, is quite a task. But it also seems to help me sleep better, so I’ll keep it up.
So, how are you occupying yourself, while practicing social distancing?
If spring cleaning and jumping rope doesn’t sound appealing to you, consider the following:
• If you haven’t done so this year, pull one of your FREE credit reports and review it for inaccuracies
• Look over your previous bank and credit card statements to identify areas in which you can reduce/cut spending
• Search the internet for new recipes and meal plan (continuing to cook at home once things return to normal, can improve your budget)
• Call that friend or relative that you’ve been meaning to contact, but never got around to doing so
• Watch instructional videos/webinars, that cover topics you’ve wanted to learn more about (but never had time to research)
• Draw/paint
• Journal
• Read/write a book
Whatever you decide to do, I hope it’s positive and productive. Also, try to stay focused on the people and things for which you are grateful.
And remember my friend, you’re still here!
“It’s your reaction to adversity, not adversity itself that determines how your life’s story will develop.” ~ Dieter F. Uchtdorf
3 Comments
Sher · March 27, 2020 at 6:40 pm
I applaud you for your work. Thanks Linda!
Linda Durley · March 27, 2020 at 5:34 pm
Thanks for sharing. I love the ideas. I am a nurse still working at my hospital but on my days off I’m often times sitting in just one spot. I love jump rope and I am 40+ 😉 Good idea. I’ve definitely been missing the gym. Good read.
Ann Bray Smith · March 26, 2020 at 6:22 pm
This post is so rich with wisdom. Yes, things come our way that we can’t control, but it doesn’t say we have to stop there. When life creates uncontrolled barriers, true believers begin to create a different pathway. This my dear is the difference between the eagles that soar and the birds that flock. They are both birds, but what they do when opposition presents itself is the difference. Thank you for sharing and happy days ahead.
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