The only activity I was interested in at the beginning of quarantine was one that I couldn’t because…pregnancy. (yes drinking wine and scrolling social media is an activity). So figuring out how to peel myself from the couch and not slip further into my Covid Crisis (kinda like a mid-life crisis but without the fancy sports car) became my mission. Not every activity stuck for the long term, but looking back now I realize that there were ones that helped my mental health, made me more present and brought peace to my day.
If you’re looking for ways to nurture your own mental health here are some suggestions…
Coloring
I never really got into the whole adult coloring book craze. I actually tried to make it my thing at one point and even purchased colored pencils and postcards (that I had the best intentions of sending) but, it just didn’t move me. After being shut in for 3 months I now understand that my previous half hearted attempts probably weren’t successful because I couldn’t sit still long enough to completely immerse myself in the activity. Enter quarantine, an artist partner with fancier colored pens and markers, a dope coloring book of affirmations, and well ,I dove in! I found that having the right pens and markers, with colors that inspired my creativity, helped me tap even further into it. During those sessions I didn’t think about how bored I was and the negative self-talk around not being artistic quieted down. Coloring provided a deeper creative vision and even influenced me to begin writing on the blog again.
Bike Riding
When the pandemic began and I was furloughed from work, I decided to bring my bike out of storage. Initially I just needed to do something other than sit on my couch and sulk, but after my first ride it became a way to clear my head. When I got on the bike I made it a point to take in my surroundings (which was a reminder of the diversity in my city). I listened to inspiring music (which gave me an endorphin boost), and I made it a point to ride through various neighborhoods (which was a reminder of my blessings). Riding, slowly became this reminder that everything I need has never been outside of my reach.
Creating Community from My Couch
I’m the kind of person who always has plans, before quarantine I’d sometimes overbook myself just in case plans fell through. Being at home with no one to meet up with was a huge downer for me. What I missed most were sincere conversations. Those occasions when you lose track of time with a good friend, the back and forth, sharing and listening, filling you and reminding you that there are people who speak your language and know your heart. That kind of stuff a Zoom call just cannot replicate. Then Quilt walked into my life.
Quilt began 3 years ago as a platform for women to host intimate conversations in their homes. The community hosted over 4,000 topics ranging from sex and relationships, purpose and identity, career and money and much more. However with the onset of Covid, in March 2020 Quilt evolved into an online community and that is where I found them.
Having heard that Quilt was looking for app testers, I thought it would be a great way to feed my need for the intimacy and connections with other women, I was missing. I’ve had conversations with proverbial strangers on my fears around motherhood, discussed the intricacies of family histories and their connections to this present moment, and I even had a meditative experience that was enlightening and transformative. Quilt has been another reminder that life is always working on our behalf and that everything we need will be provided at the exact moment we need it.
Gourmet Grocery Shopping
Pre-pandemic the last place I wanted to spend time was at a grocery store. Post pandemic, it’s an outing I look forward to. I’m not talking your everyday I need to pick up milk and eggs before I get home kinda store. I’m talking fancy $25.00 cheese grocery, think WholeFoods, Bristol Farms and fancy farmers markets with $15.00 baskets of the freshest sweetest strawberries you’ve ever tasted and the biggest, happiness inducing sunflowers that have ever decorated a countertop. This pandemic activity started right after the unrest surrounding the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. I was holed up in the house feeling the weight of the moment and found that my usual outlets didn’t bring me joy. Needing a change of scenery, my mom and I decided to go to the fancy grocer’s to find novelty food items. Since then its kinda become our thing and has introduced me to treats I’d probably never have picked up otherwise. I look forward to lazy Sundays where we head out mid-morning discovering various pungent and exotic cheeses, overpriced but already sliced fruit, pickled veggies and desserts that would normally hit me with a wave of guilt after I’ve eaten them. We bring our discoveries home, set up my kitchen island with the fancy server plates I usually bring out when I’m entertaining and and vibe out. It’s a whole event.
Design and Decor
I recently wrote about my closet overhaul here. I chocked that up to entering into the “nesting” phase of my pregnancy but the more I think about it I attribute it to my obsession with decor and design. I’ve always enjoyed reading Architectural Digest and getting lost in Apartment Therapy’s home tours, now however, it seems that more than just admiring the homes of strangers and celebrities I’m actually implementing that inspiration into my own home. The closet overhaul was the first step, the next will be the babies room and our bedroom. I’ve found that in creating our own inspiring space I’ve been more creative, relaxed and to use my favorite word-joyful.
What have been activities that you’ve enjoyed doing during these times? I’d love to know your discoveries in the comments below.