A Few of My Favourite Quarantine Things

Well… we made it through the first week of “distancing”. ♥ I don’t know about y’all, but I kinda hit my wall a couple of days ago. The severity of the situation really started to sink in, and after trying to buoy myself, my family, and my tribe… I was feeling rather exhausted. Not to mention suffering a wee bit of overwhelm at the sheer amount of “stuff” being offered all at once: ideas for home schooling, new memes, sobering statistics, artistic offerings, new tools to connect and groups to join, ideas on how to help ourselves and others, bingeable distractions, and all manner of support…

I actually had to take a giant step back to just have some quiet time. To process. To face my own fears. To just BE. I highly recommend you do the same. At risk of adding to the vast noise out there right now, I wanted to share my “tools” that help me calm down when I’m stressed out, in case they might help you too. (Be warned: some of these ideas may be a little to “out there” for some of you… just take what you wish from this post and dismiss whatever isn’t for you.)

Journals: Writing about your worries/fears helps to get that junk out of your head/clear your thoughts. Personally, I like writing that garbage on scrap paper and burning it after… but to each their own. 😉 Plus, it doesn’t all have to be negative. Why not take this time to try mapping out your hopes, dreams, and aspirations as well? Who knows what kind of brilliance may spring forth!

I also keep a photographic gratitude journal via the Collect app. It is SO nice to look back on the great times we’ve had – especially when things are challenging. It’s a great reminder that while not every day is a good day, there is something good to be found in every day.

Meditation: I’m one of those people who has a really hard time quieting my brain during meditation – sitting in stillness and silence just doesn’t come easy at all! I have found that “guided meditations” are my way around this. There are bunches out there, but I find I need a certain kind of voice to relax. My current favourites are:

Deepak Chopra’s free Meditation Experiences. Each session lasts for 21 days, and after they are offered for free, they can be purchased for your “library” if you wish. Currently, there is one running called “Hope in Uncertain Times”… I’m definitely tuning in!

If you’re in to chakras and getting them energetically cleared and aligned, I’d recommend a meditation which appears on YouTube: Daily Meditation, Vibrational Alignment. Whenever I’m feeling out of sorts, this helps me get calm, centered, and moving forward again.

Finally, I’ve been following the work of “Spiritual Teacher, Angelic & Celestial Channel & Colour Intuitive” Amanda Ellis for a while now. (Those of you who think that sort of thing is just “woo-woo” should probably skip ahead now. 😉 ) Lately, she’s been posting daily videos to touch base with her followers and provide spiritual support (card readings, channeled messages, etc.)… While I enjoy watching these, one of my favourite videos is her Archangel Metatron Merkaba Meditation / Activation one. Whenever I am having a hard time getting “in touch with the light”… I can put this video on and actually feel it raining down on me and through me. Full disclosure: while I’ve done the full meditation before (be warned, it was made several years ago, so the dates will not be current, and working with merkaba energy is a bit too far “out there” for many)… I often just need a quick grounding/lightening, so I start from about the 10 minute mark, and end before the merkaba travel at about 21 minutes… being sure to say thank you when I’m done. 😉

Now... Sometimes, you just need to get away from your thoughts/feelings for a while too! Focusing on keeping your body healthy and moving is a great way to do that!!!

Movement: Walking on bright, sunny days is lovely! But for the days I can’t get outside, I turn to my yoga mat. Years ago, I started watching Padma Yoga on the ONE Network. I have a bunch of CDs from her Season 1 show that I love to use… but these are no longer for sale, so I’d recommend watching Season 2 on YouTube. Her energy is just so calming and encouraging – it makes the harder poses worth while. 😉

Of course, when I came down with frozen shoulder, my yoga was kinda put on hold for a while… and then when I was finally recovered enough to start up and go on a retreat again, the retreat had changed from a yoga to a qigong focus! Getting in touch with my “qi energy” was really interesting… but making it to a qigong class after the retreat was challenging, so I found this lovely series online via Yoqi (yoga+qigong). My favourite and most watched Marisa video is by far the Purge+Tonify one. SO good for getting an out-of-use body moving again! Again, note: sometimes I will skip over the “energy work” at the end of the video, especially if I am doing it with someone who just isn’t into that sort of thing… 😀

Now… when I really want to get my cardio going… it’s Bollywood and Bhangra, baby! Check out Good Indian Girl’s video How To Learn Bollywood Dance… or Manpreet Toor’s numerous dance lessons, or even Popsugar’s Bollywood Dance Workout to Burn Calories! SO MUCH FUN! And good for your body too. 🙂

Of course, there are a million places you can go online for food ideas (recipes I’ve posted about previously can be found here)… or maybe you want to get crafty instead (projects I’ve posted about previously can be found here, including several DIY instructional pieces)… Whatever you do to find some peace and enjoyment during this time will help to fill you up so that you can help those around you.

Definitely make self-care a priority: eat well, hydrate, and sleep lots… try to get some quiet, alone time (if you have a family with you), or make an effort to keep in contact with your tribe (online/in person – at a distance of course, if you do not)… remember to shower, change your clothes, and do your hair and makeup every so often, to remind yourself what a hottie you are (heck, why not throw in a facial or home pedicure for fun?)… give yourself permission to let things slide if they need to, OR kick yourself in the pants to take this opportunity to get stuff done, if that’s more where you’re at! The thing is… there are no rules for this!!! So just pay attention to what you need at any given moment, and give yourself that if you can. ♥

Remember: I see you, I love you, I am here for you if you need. Stay well, my friends. xo