Imagine all the amazing days that are coming your way…..
Hi Friends - I’ve been struggling on many levels with our new “Normal”. As a person in the industry who thrives in an insanely busy workplace and LOVES to stay busy, suddenly having so much time on my hands has pushed me into a place that definitely feels uncomfortable and so so scary. But, I take heart in knowing that we are all experiencing similar feelings from the confines of our own apartments! I have been working very diligently to NOT succumb to overall lethargy and depression and have created personal strategies with my daily routine to stay positive, healthy and hopefull. It has occurred to me that some of these small ideas might help someone else out there create a plan to do the same. So, I’m going to use my website to post daily thoughts and ideas that you can check out throughout this hard time we are all experiencing!
DEVELOP A DAILY ROUTINE THAT HELPS YOU!
I recognize now that I am a person that thrives with structure and routine. My days are always full - mostly of work and that feeds my soul on so many levels. To suddenly NOT have that routine has made me feel a little lost. Here’s what I’ve done for myself - hoping that some of this might be useful for you…
MORNING PAGES - Have any of you done The Artist’s Way before? I’m sure you probably all have. Julia Cameron is a self-care genius and I have been a fan of her work since the 1990s. In The Artist’s Way, she instructs you to write upon waking up - 3 full pages - stream of consciousness - thoughts, feelings, dreams you had - if you can’t think of anything you can literally fill the pages with “I HATE CORONA VIRUS” over and over again. Getting back into this routine at the start of my day has deeply helped clear my head and open up my thoughts to some more productive activities that are available to me (thus, this new strange and fun blog I’ve started). For more information on the gorgeous work of Julia Cameron and her book, The Artist’s Way you can visit: https://juliacameronlive.com
GRATITUDE - Daily gratitude. A friend sent me this app at the start of this week, when the cold, hard reality of the situation settled in. It’s so helpful… https://apps.apple.com/us/app/gratitude-happiness-journal/id1372575227
STRETCHING - I have always had to incorporate some morning stretching into my routine, because of the dreaded sciatica I face. But, usually, this stretching is “10-5 minutes before I run out the door and sometimes running late and super stressed, so just get it done cause you will be stuck in a chair at Pearl Studios all day” kind of stretching. I’ve now allowed myself the time to really focus and breathe while I’m stretching. CONNECTING TO BREATH IS EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW. There are plenty of on line yoga classes and free demos to be explored, if you would like to set up a routine to stretch and BREATHE. If you don’t want to stretch (trust me - I usually hate Yoga), I recommend you sit for at least 5 minutes a day and connect to your breath and just listen to your own thoughts. Here is a nice simple stretching routine I found on line with someone named Kassandra (Thank you, Kassandra)! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pKly2JojMw
GO FOR A WALK OUTSIDE - JUST STAY DISTANCED FROM OTHER PEOPLE!!! (Not much to say about this, but FRESH AIR! FRESH AIR! FRESH AIR!) If you want to make your walk extra magical - explore an area that you haven’t before and imagine each step is leading you to your new path in life - whatever magical thing that WILL emerge for you once this awfulness has passed.
COFFEE & COCKTAIL FACETIME DATES - Man, I have just realized that because of my workaholic nature, I have been a miserable friend and family member. But, what fun it has been to pour a coffee or cocktail and jump on FaceTime with a loved one. This has become a daily routine now and I realize how much I’ve missed so many of the people in my life! It’s one thing to text back and forth and stop and say “hi” in the hallways of Pearl, but to actually set time aside to really truly connect - wow - fills the soul! When did we all stop being human (or maybe it’s just me)? I surprised my parents on St. Patricks Day with a FaceTime and Irish Coffee in hand - the look on their faces when they answered the call made my heart sing! I may be coming for you next….
ANYWAY, I SUPPOSE THIS IS ANOTHER WAY OF COPING WITH ALL OF THIS - HOPING TO BE A HELPFUL FRIEND, JUST BY SHARING THOUGHTS/IDEAS/FEELINGS. STAY HOPEFUL AND STRONG, DEAR FRIENDS! AND PLEASE CHECK IN DAILY FOR UPDATES, IF YOU ARE FEELING BORED. IF YOU WANT TO REACH OUT TO ME WITH THOUGHTS/IDEAS/OR JUST TO SAY HI, EMAIL ME! holly@hdbcasting.com
This image was sent to me today by my Gratitude App….it resonated!