Self-Isolating in Style

One week of staying at home doing absolutely nothing is dreamy. Two weeks is pushing it into a bad dream. Third week – dang, it’s freaking nightmare; I’m already scaling the four walls of my flat! What started out as a dream has turned into boredom and stir craziness. I don’t want to be anyone’s wet blanket. I’m here to motivate you and myself to have some boredom busters and help us get through the cabin fever with style, fun and creativity! (Unspash Photo)

Do you remember the last time you were at work and wished that you had a three-week vacation? It took an invisible enemy to grant – not just your wish – but also the rest of the world’s wish for an indefinite vacation – albeit at home. Like the rest of the civilization, you may have found yourself self-isolated due to the Coronavirus or Covid-19 bedlam.

One week of staying at home doing absolutely nothing is dreamy. Two weeks is pushing it into a bad dream. Third week – dang, it’s freaking nightmare; I’m already scaling the four walls of my flat! What started out as a dream has turned into boredom and stir craziness. I don’t want to be anyone’s wet blanket. I’m here to motivate you and myself to have some boredom busters and help us get through the cabin fever with style, fun and creativity!  Here are some ways to self-isolate in style:

• MARI KONDO YOUR CRIB Just imagine yourself living in a space that only contains things that spark joy? To put your belongings in order means to put your life in order!

• START A JOURNAL OR A BLOG I found great comfort and solace in words. I turned these words into writing. Everything in life is writable; let your imagination run free and wild. Remember, the worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.

• TAKE PHOTOS You don’t have to be a professional photographer. You just need a good camera. Capture everything in the time of Coronavirus. Capture your home. Capture the food you prepared. Capture your partner or family. Capture yourself. Capture your pet! Photography is the art of freezing time – the ability to store emotions and feelings within a frame.

• LEARN A NEW SKILL Learn a new language, go for Duolingo! Learn how to cook. Learn how to sew. Learn how to dance. Learn how to paint. Learn how to play an instrument. Learning opens our minds; once it is stretched by a new idea, it never regains its original dimensions.

• PLATE YOUR FOOD ARTISTICALLY One doesn’t have to be a cook or a baker. I recently discovered great joy in plating all the food – which we buy from our grocer – into a work of art. Food presentation is essential as the taste and flavour of your food. Besides, it looks good on Instagram and Facebook.

• GO ON A HEALTH KICK! Now is the time to start your healthy diet. Mediterranean diet is the best. Keto works too. Eating well is a form of self-respect.

• PRACTICE THE ART OF GRATITUDE Make a list of things that you should be grateful for everyday. This will make you feel better and it’s good for the soul!

• CREATE A VISION BOARD OR VISION TRUNK I have a small suitcase and I fill this up with photos of places I want to visit. Photos of food I would like to eat. Articles about healthy living. Photos of a new couch that I want to purchase later on. The list goes on. A vision board is a sacred place that displays what you want in life. It motivates you to set goals and aspirations on how to actually achieve your dreams and visions.

• WERK IT REAL GOOD! Exercise is not only the key to a healthy body but it is the essence to having a peace of mind.

• PAMPER YOURSELF Take a bubble bath with a glass of champagne. Or a red wine. Or white wine. Whatever your choice of poison is. Do your own facial. It’s never selfish to love yourself, to take care of yourself and to make your happiness a priority. It is YOUR LIFE and you only LIVE ONCE.

• CREATE WORKS OF ART Maybe you’re a Van Gogh in the making? Maybe you’re the fifth Beatle waiting to be discovered? Creativity doesn’t wait for that perfect moment. It fashions its own perfect moments out of ordinary ones – even in the time of Coronavirus.

• PRACTICE SELF-REFLECTION MEDITATION Quiet reflection is a must. It gives us insight into our thoughts and aspirations in life. Meditation reflection is important because it helps us build structure, boosts utilization of talent, helps us become a positive influence, and helps us keep sight of our future.

“All of humanity’s problems stems from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone” – pithy words from 17^th century French philosopher Blaise Pascal – ring true during this unprecedented time. The Coronavirus outbreak is dire and devastating, but the ability to find the lighter side in darkness is an historic marker of humanity’s best coping mechanisms. That’s what humans are – SURVIVORS.