If you're an introvert like me, the social distancing made necessary by the coronavirus outbreak is something we're made for. It does not freak us out as much as our extroverted friends. However, if you're anything like me, being stuck inside a 100 square meter room with nothing but walls to stare at for days on end is tantamount to torture (an exaggeration but you know what I mean). I need to be outdoors, feel the sun or the rain on my face, stare up at the sky and watch the clouds change shape, listen to the birds sing their morning song, walk barefoot on the beach and read under the shade of an old oak tree.
So here's my game plan to survive this quarantine season:
1. Pray, meditate on God's word, and spend time with Him. This is our first line of defense. Your relationship with God takes precedence above everything else. Focusing on Him gives perspective that this world could not offer. Your spiritual health is important.
2. Stay active. If you have stairs in your house or apartment building, use them. You need to keep your heart going. Your physical health is important.
3. Take a short walk (or bike) early in the morning (preferably between 4am-6am) before anyone is up, that way you don't have to worry about keeping the 6-feet apart at all times rule and you don't run the risk of cross infection. But check the local ordinances if you're allowed to be out because some jurisdictions have stricter rules than others. You don't want to violate the laws of the land.
4. If the weather does not permit you to walk or bike outside, look out the window or stand outside the door of your house or building. Even if all you see are cars and traffic lights, at least you get some sun and fresh air.
5. Take a long shower (warm or cold, you choose) every day. The sound and feel of water makes me happy. I hope it does you good as well.
6. Catch up on your reading. I used to be able to read for hours when I was reading from paperbacks. But with a Kindle or Nook or iPhone, my eyes are strained after an hour or two. So if you're reading from an electronic device, take it easy.
7. Catch up on movies you've missed or TV series you're following. But remember to take frequent breaks.
8. Eat well. Don't deprive yourself but don't finish all your chips in one sitting (which I'm guilty of doing a lot). Your health is important and what you eat and how much of it matters.
9. Check up on the people you love. Call or text and ask them how they're coping. Speak a word of blessing over them. Pray for them. During this season of limited physical contact, we need to stay connected to each other. We were not created to be alone and now more than ever we need each other's support.
10. Live one day at a time. Don't worry about your plans for tomorrow. God's got that figured out. Do what you can and enjoy what you have today. Guard your heart and your thoughts. Think about what's true, noble, right, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. Your mental health is important.
It's a short list and I'm sure you could add more to it. We all deal with things differently but the important thing is we don't lose heart and decide to keep going. There may be fear and anxieties and questions with each step but this will all end soon and we'll all be better people on the other side it.
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| One day, when this season is over, we'll get to travel again to familiar places or somewhere we've never been before. |
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