In the midst of all the COVID-19 drama, I think it’s important to stop and look at what positive things could come from this. Yes, being quarantined is no fun. Yes, people are sick and dying, businesses are hurting, folks are losing their jobs and the stock market is volatile. But I’ve been around the world enough to know it could always be worse. If you think your situation is dire, I PROMISE you… someone has it worse.

Let’s consider how life was before this all happened:

In general, we as a society work too much, don’t get enough sleep, have no time to prepare healthy meals or exercise, prefer screen time over quality time with our family and loved ones and there was (until COVID-19), seemingly no end in sight. Mother Earth is struggling from exhaust, pollution, litter, plastics in our oceans, smog in the air, the destruction of the ozone layer and an outright disrespect for her on MULTIPLE levels. We all have different belief systems, so I will leave it to you to make this metaphorically your own, but I believe that God is sending us a message. He wants us to slow down and hear the music. And COVID-19 is the perfect reason to do so.

Here are my top four reasons why I believe COVID-19 could impact us all in a positive way:

1. We are all spending more time at home. Initially, I think most people are really frustrated by this, but think about everything you could accomplish just by being at home! Now is the perfect time to tackle those pesky projects around the house like painting, cleaning out the garage, fixing the broken door jam, purging the junk from your kitchen or closet… You could read that book you’ve been wanting to read but can never find the time. You can connect with your kids by helping them with this crazy online schooling stuff! But home is where your life is, so pay attention to what’s around you and how you can improve it.
2. We are all spending more time around our families or people who live with us. Might as well make it quality time! Sure, it’s challenging to spend so much time with your kids, spouse, roommates, etc. But remember that it’s GOOD for us! God created us as social beings. We were designed to be together, to coexist and to take care of one another. One of our most primal instincts is to protect our tribe. In today’s modern world, we can lose sight of that because we’re so busy with all the stuff that doesn’t matter. So use this extra time. Consider it a blessing and really connect with those in your household and your neighborhood. Play board games, take turns sharing stories or playing your favorite songs. Take walks around the neighborhood together and see what everyone else is doing. We’re all stuck at home, so I bet you’ll see some neighbors you’ve never seen before!
3. We have full authority to hit “reset” on our daily routines! Another side effect of an overcharged, tech-savvy, super busy life is that we tend to fall into routines that are extremely unhealthy. For example, many people don’t eat breakfast or lunch and if they do, it’s from a drive-through. We hit the ground running in the morning, pulling our hair out trying to get it together for the day and we never really seem to catch up. If we use this time to start practicing better habits, trying out new routines and getting into a different groove, we have a much better chance of continuing those habits once the world is back in business. What types of routines am I talking about?
   • Waking up just a smidge earlier so you can read, meditate, go for a walk or do a little exercise before your day gets going.
   • Absolutely NO WAY you are waking up any earlier? No problem. Try out a new routine at night that includes packing lunches, laying out your clothes for tomorrow, putting your gym bag in your car, or doing other things that stress you out in the morning.
   • Scheduling a time for self-care every day, even if it’s only 30 minutes. I call it “Tiger Time” (time that you are fiercely protective of). If you schedule that time and ask your family and friends to respect it, you will find yourself exercising, meditating, reading, or whatever “self-care” means to you. Over time, you will build a habit of doing these things more frequently and in turn, those around you will build a habit of entertaining themselves while you do it. This is a win-win!
4. We have time to reevaluate priorities. I have spent a TON of time doing this over the past two weeks. After taking a breath and thinking about my day-to-day life, I realized that I’ve been spending my energy and attention on all the wrong things. I was working too late every night. 10-12 hour days. Not exercising. Not eating right. Not playing music or doing art projects… I was doing NOTHING that is quintessentially a part of who I am. So I started writing again. Exercising again. I started a couple of new paintings. I bought a new keyboard and started learning to play Desperado (one of my Dad’s favorite songs). I’ve lost 10 pounds! I’m feeling more like myself now than I have in years. All because COVID-19 locked me in my house for several weeks and I chose to do something productive with the time, rather than complain about it on social media.

Have you ever heard the old saying: “When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade”? This is it! This is your chance to make lemonade! Or if you prefer limes, make margaritas! But have a conversation with yourself and those around you about what you want to do with this time. Ask yourself:

What could I improve in my home? In my relationships? In my life?

Then start working towards those things. Do some research on the internet; find some books that will help; talk to people you know who are stronger in those areas than you. There has never been a better time than now to make some major changes in your life. So give thanks for this time and consider it an opportunity rather than an inconvenience.

What are some changes you’d like to make? Leave me a message in the comments!

Blessings and love, JB 🙂