The past weeks have been disorienting, to say the least. Everything seemed to have happened at a fast pace with many countries now affected by COVID-19. Everyday life is disrupted. People are told to stay at home and practice social distancing to help curb the spread of the disease. But staying at home indefinitely is something that not everyone adapts quickly or easily to. So what can we do when self-isolating is the best thing we can do to help prevent this from spreading?
Prepare for a long staycation
There is no definite timeline as to when this will be over or when it would be safe again for everyone to go back to a normal routine. This uncertainty adds to the myriad of feelings that cause a lot of stress and anxiety. But what if we plan the next days or weeks as we do for a long staycation. Perhaps think of it as a chance to discover or experience again the fun things we can do at home. Just prepare enough supplies and essentials so we don't have to make frequent trips outside. And make a list of all the online grocery shops and food establishments that provide delivery services for when we need to replenish or eat something we don’t have to cook ourselves.
Unleash the travelers in us
We can either spend the time feeling sorry for canceled trips and pining for places we will not see at this time or use it to come up with creative ideas to unleash the travelers in us. Think of it as something to look forward to. Come up with a travel theme for every week we need to be cooped at home. It could be a relaxation theme where we can set up a space to chill out, read, meditate, do yoga, or simply do nothing. Or we can do an art and culture theme as we enjoy virtual tours of museums from around the world.
Learn more about places through their food
Who said our thirst for adventure has to be squelched while on a self-imposed quarantine at home? Cooking and preparing our own food can be a form of adventure in itself, especially if we get ideas from different cuisines. We can learn more about the places we want to visit or have visited in the past through their food. We can start with the simplest dish from each country on our list and use our time in self-isolation to whip up delectable dishes and treats.
During these trying times when normal life has been severely disrupted, fear and anxiety can be demotivating and paralyzing. There are so many things beyond our control. But we do have a choice on how we deal with this until things get better. We may have to stay at home for now. But that doesn't mean we have to give up our sense of fun and adventure.
