COVID-19 crisis has radically changed our lives. Just a few months ago, we had no idea our ‘world’ would be confined to our homes!  This Covid-19 Care Package is just for you.

This crisis is a powerful reminder of how important freedom is – and how much we need human connection!

Remember you are not alone. Because what is DIFFERENT here is that everyone is impacted! Your neighbor, mom, boss and friends as well as your counterparts around the world are all going through something similar.

So, it’s important to remember:

Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. Viktor E. Frankl

This is the challenge each of us must rise to! If we’re going to be stuck at home, we may as well make the most of it.  Below, is what I’m calling the COVID 19 Care Package.

Here are 7 things you can do to make your life better with physically isolated:

1) Be in the Moment

In THIS moment you are OK. You are safe. Take one day at a time. One hour or even one breath at a time if you need to.

This tip is about being super-present, not thinking ahead or remembering the past, but practicing BEING.

This is a PRACTICE – meaning you will have to do it over and over again – bringing yourself back to the NOW. Over time it gets easier, and it’s a great skill to have to take back to “normal” life.

So when you notice you’re worrying, feeling twitchy and want to pick up your device and find out what the “latest” is about the COVID situation, say to yourself, “It’s OK. In this moment, I am safe. In this moment I am OK.”  You can also add or say, “In this moment, my children/husband/family are safe.”

EXTRA TIP: Reduce or minimize how often you watch and read the news! And DON’T read or watch the news (or articles about COVID-19 or similar) just before bed!

There are things we can and can’t control.  Here is a tool to help you understand your Spheres of Influence.

2) Create a Healthy, Supportive Routine

When we feel powerless or helpless (as so many of us do at the moment), one EXTREMELY easy thing to do is to create a routine or schedule.

While we’re all stuck in anxiously waiting at home, it’s easy to lose our sense of time. Days can begin to blend into each other. A routine can give us an anchor and greater sense of control over our lives. And if you have children, creating a routine is especially important to give them a sense of normality.

This routine or schedule can be as simple as:

• 6am – Wake-up
• 7am – Breakfast
• 8am – Exercise
• 9am – Office Work or Talk to friends
• 12pm – Lunch
• 1-4pm – Office Work or Work on a home project
• 5pm – Make & Eat Dinner
• 7pm – Talk to close family
• 8pm – Reading, Journaling
• 10pm – Bed

Be sure to include food preparation, social time, exercise and outdoor time and some learning or creativity so you get some benefit from this challenging time.

It’s also important to recognize weekends because it’s too easy for weeks to blur together. So, make a looser schedule for your weekends. For example, you could include:

• Sleeping in/later bedtime
• Brunch
• “Treats”
• Movie night with popcorn
• A virtual happy hour with friends or colleagues
• A larger project, perhaps some art, craft, gardening or home redecoration.

So, create a routine for a sense of control and mastery over your environment and life circumstances. Reclaim what power you can over your own life, because with all this uncertainty it’s important for you – and especially important for children – to have predictability.

3) Live Your Values

When we know your values, we understand what motivates and drives us. When we build our lives around our values, we create a life that is meaningful. Finally, when we align our actions with our values – we’re being truly authentic. It’s a very satisfying and fulfilling way to live.

And living your values could be the single most important thing any of us can do right now.

Here’s an exercise you can do:

• List your values on a piece of paper or in your journal.
• Give each value a score ___ / 10 as to how well you are living that value in your life now (where 0 is not at all and 10 is full-out).
• For the scores that are 8 or more – great!
• For the scores that are 7 or less out of 10, ask yourself, “How could I express this value more in my life right now?” “What could I do differently or approach differently, so that I feel good about how I live this value in my life?”

For example: You have a value of creativity, but you’re only managing to ‘go through the motions’ right now and your score is 4/10. Ask yourself how you could be more creative during this time – whether it’s cooking, gardening, art or writing or helping your kids do something creative, or even watching a documentary about someone creative you admire…

4) De-Clutter

I bet you have some organizational things on your to-do list (like going through winter clothes, sorting out toys to donate or tidying the laundry closet, garage or shed) that have been on there for a while. Use this isolation period to get them done!

Getting organized and de-cluttering allows us to exert some control over our lives – and therefore feel less helpless! Plus, it’ll feel amazing just to have it done.

Organize your closets, your garage, your books, your photos, office, kitchen equipment. Whatever needs organizing. Or perhaps you need to go through your receipts or file your taxes!

• If you need some inspiration (and great clothes-folding tips) you could watch the Marie Kondo series on Netflix!

A simple 3 Step Method to go through your stuff:

1. If you’re keeping it, be sure to DECIDE where it will “live” from now on.
2. If you’re not keeping it, create two piles:
   • Things to DUMP
   • Things to DONATE (and if relevant to pass on to specific people).
3. When you’re done, put each pile into bags or boxes, and then once this crisis is over you can get rid of what you no longer need.

• TIP: You don’t need to do any of this ‘in one sitting’, do an hour a day – you’ll be surprised how much you get done if you keep it up for a week!

Here is a spring cleaning tool to help you Spring Clean Your Life.

5) Send “Real” Snail Mail Letters or Cards

Go old-fashioned. Who doesn’t love to receive a lovely card or handwritten letter in the post box! Rediscover the lost art of letter-writing and make someone’s day.

Yes, you could send an email appreciating someone, and that’s great. But imagine your recipient’s face as they pick up that hand-written card in the mailbox.

Wondering what to say? Write from the heart! Here are some ideas to get started:

• I really appreciate having you in my life because ________.
• I love hanging out with you when we ________.
• I’ve realized that you bring ________ to my life.

6) Begin a Meditation Practice

Meditation is a practice that has been proven scientifically to calm us, help us be more creative and be happier (for starters). It’s extremely beneficial.

There is a lot to learn about meditation – and it’s called a Meditation Practice for a reason. But it’s also not as hard as it sounds. You can start with as little as 5 minutes a day – and it’s good to build a routine, so you meditate at the same time every day. Get a book on “Meditation for Beginners” or go to Youtube or Google and search for “How to Meditate”. Another good place to start is “Metta” or “Loving Kindness” meditation. Again, search online and you’ll have lots of options to choose from.

It helps to have a quiet space without interruptions – which many of us don’t have at the moment. And for some people, trying to meditate when anxious can be stressful. If this is the case, listen to a relaxing guided meditation instead.

Another idea is to listen to a sleep meditation or “Body Scan Meditation” before going to sleep.

Here is a guided meditation to get you started.

7) Help Others

Helping others is empowering and makes us feel better. Here are a few ways you could help others.

• Check in on a neighbor or friend and see if they need anything. You can do this by phone, or in person, remembering to maintain a 6 feet distance.
• Offer to get someone groceries if you’re going.
• Help someone less technically savvy learn how to use Zoom or WhatsApp or whatever they need to get online.
• Host a virtual get-together with your regular friends.
• Reconnect more deeply with friends or relatives who have moved away.

Share what you’ve been doing to help others in the comments below.

Wrap Up

Since I’ve been under this “stay at home”, I’ve noticed that my days have begun to be a blur.  Keeping a schedule is what has helped me the most.  So, which of the above ideas in this Covid-19 Care Package resonated with you?

Believe you have the skills and power to tackle this situation and you will! Choose to make the best of a difficult situation and no matter what – you’ll find a way.

This current and strange COVID-19 situation will end. And when it does, you’ll be proud you made the effort to learn something – whether it’s about yourself, fresh knowledge, a new skill – and who knows what else! 

Marcelletta (Marci) Miles

Now is the time to stop wondering when the hurt and pain from loss, past relationships, and betrayal will stop in order for you to finally HEAL.  

I experienced deep pain from loss and betrayal.  And just when I thought I had gotten over it, something would come along and trigger the pain all over again. That’s when I discovered how to truly HEAL and let go of past relationships, feelings of betrayal, and loss and find my happy place.

If you’re ready to heal, get your life back and enjoy the freedom you know you deserve,  schedule a conversation with me today.