March 23rd, 2020

​ Focus on the Positive & Make your Time Count
If you are like me you are probably thinking, “what is happening?” and “what is going to happen next?”
First, I would like to say to our doctors, nurses, supermarket employees, delivery drivers, postal workers, and any other industry that is considered “essential” — THANK YOU!
Thank the cashier and the people stocking the shelves when you go out for those rare shopping trips to the market.
We went from a world of social interaction to social distancing and isolation. A lot of us have become work-from-home warriors, our offices and businesses have been closed due to the COVID-19.
Bingeing on Netflix has become the norm. So how can we focus on the positive besides just staying busy?
Challenging situations and obstacles are a part of life. It may be hard right now to focus on the positive, but a lot of people are taking the opportunity to make the most of this critical time. Focus on the good things in our lives. Show Compassion and concern for those who need it most.
We can take walks and runs in unpopulated areas or just spend time doing the things we never have time for. Take a bike ride even if it is rusty and old.
So, how can we turn negative thoughts into positive thoughts and then turn them into positive actions?
Take advantage of this time we have been given to take action on anything and everything we have been meaning to do for ourselves and others.
Here are some ideas to help Focus on the Positive:
Start every day on a positive note. Think of things you can do to be productive. Think of things that can make your life more comfortable and enjoyable during this time of solitude.
Practice gratitude by keeping a gratitude journal that reflects on this time. Memories and dreams are a great place to start when keeping a journal. Sometimes we don’t have the time to reflect on our lives in the moment. Find and share books to read. Write the story you have inside of you. Write reviews on your favorite book or business. This is a positive way to promote someone’s work. Write Loving letters to your spouse, children and parents, grandparents and friends. Articulate what you admire about them. Reminisce about good times past and good times to come.
Humor can be the best medicine. Share with family and friends the things that make you laugh.
Practice positive self-talk and try to engage mostly with positive thinking people.
Share and spread positive results online and provide ideas to actively encourage people who are interested in the same things you are.
This is the perfect time of year to mobilize your children to start a family garden. If you have the room plant pumpkins, watermelons or tomatoes, so they can watch them grow. Or start a Kitchen Garden. This garden is for plants that can be planted somewhere in or around your home, apartment or condo. Plant your favorite herbs and vegetables in a plant pot or box on a deck, balcony, side yard, back yard or front yard. If you are experienced in gardening, then you can share with amateur gardeners on how, when and where to sow the seeds and when to harvest. Offer suggestions such as the best crops to plant, along with tips on preventing disease and insect infestations. It is a great time to learn how to can and to help people preserve their surplus crops.
Sign up online for that class you have wanted to take. Learn how to make a blanket, crochet, knit, sew, and/or paint. Paint on ceramic tiles hang them on your wall or give them as gifts. We have at least six whole months before Christmas to start making gifts.
Refurbish that piece of furniture that you have been meaning to do.
Paint the house inside and out. If that is a little much for you to tackle, then most of us have a little bit of paint left from the last paint job; take it and touch up areas that have nicks and bruises.
Neighborhoods are quiet right now. Sit in your back yard or by a window and listen to the wind rustling the trees outside your door. Listen to the birds call out and sing to each other. Watch the insects and butterflies go about their business. Listen to the raindrops on the roof. Feel the warmth of the rays of the sunlight streaming in through the window.
Notice the small things like how your spouse smiles at you when you say or do something they like. Use this time to make a list of all the things you appreciate about your spouse. Do something for your spouse you have not done for a long time.
Take this time to listen to your children or grandchildren. Listen to the footsteps of our children going up and down the stairs or running across the floor. Listen to their laughter and imaginative conversations. Have them make a list of questions that they would like to know about you, especially when you were a child. Play games with them. Start a puzzle. Ask them what their favorite things are to do. What they think about what happens during the day at school or with their friends.
Notice how your dog’s whiskers tickle when he gives kisses. A cat purring in contentment can be cathartic while he sits on your lap. Listen to your heart, and feel it beating. Listen to your spouse’s heart, your child’s heart or your pet’s heart.
Listen to your favorite Music. Dance. Have a dance party with your family. Let each family member pick a couple of songs. Watch Movies that make you laugh with uplifting plots. Watch the classics.
Have conversations with the ones you love or even better the ones in the family you have not gotten along with in recent years. It can make you think.
Indulge in some of your favorite snacks. Treat yourself to dessert. Make a cup of hot chocolate or a cup of tea. Sit and breathe in the aroma then drink and relish the taste. Notice the smells around you, food cooking, flowers blooming.
Go through and organize your Old photographs. Scan and digitalize them if you have the equipment. Start working on your Family tree. Talk to the elders in your family by phone or email. This is a good time to get family history details. Go through and organize your Cookbooks. Write down all the recipes that have been passed on to you or that you have acquired through the years.
Clean sheets and blankets are like a breath of fresh air. Replace old and worn pillows. Spend time making your bedroom a sanctuary to be enjoyed. Get lots of sleep. Go to bed early and take naps. Use the smell of lavender to enhance your sleep time.
Take a walk along the beach and hunt for Seashells. Watch the waves go in and out. Watch the sunrise or sunset. Watch the Clouds in the sky and share this experience with someone you love. Prayer and Meditation are critical to a balanced life. Stand outside or look through a window and watch the full moon and study the stars.
Light Candles or sit in front of the fireplace. Think about how comfortable our life has become in the last 100+ years. Running water so we don’t have to go to the well or to the river or creek and haul buckets for hours a day. We can wash our clothes while we do other things. We can jump in a hot shower to start our day. Go to the bathroom in the middle of the night just a couple yards from our beds. Load the dishwasher and walk away after a push of a button. Warm or cook food at a push of a button. We can buy ready to use products for cooking, cleaning, and any other activity we can think of.
Relish the moment when you wake up and realize you are still healthy and that you have people you love and who love you.
Stay Safe and Healthy!!