We will get through this!

It is said that the only thing that is certain in life is Change! Okay, the other two certainties in life are death and taxes, but that is a topic for another day.

So, back to change; it is inevitable, nothing stays the same and we are currently experiencing a rate of change, that we have never experienced before. It is natural for human beings not to like change. Humanity likes the certainty that comes with routine, and knowing what to expect in our lives from one day to the next.

Needless to say, due to all this change, we are now living in uncertain times.

Let’s just take a minute to look at the things that we can be certain of; history tells us that the sun will rise tomorrow, the world will continue to spin and the seasons will change as they have always done. The other thing we can be certain of is, we will get through this! The human race has survived, among other things, the Plague, the Spanish Flu, and two World Wars and we will survive this.

So while we are living with lock downs and social isolation in our homes, we need to work on remaining as positive as we can, and doing what we can to support each other ~ from a distance. Here are a few suggestions for things to do while we are in isolation:-

  • Listen to music. Put on your headphones and dance around the house. It is good exercise, and listening to your favourite songs lifts your mood.

  • Get outside – if you are lucky enough to have a garden/backyard. Make a cup of tea/coffee and sit outside – get some fresh air. While you are out there check out the state of your garden, make some plans to spruce it up a bit. Plan to get out when the weather is suitable and do some weeding, mow the lawn and tidy up the edges. Prune any trees that are looking straggly and prepare the garden for the new season.

  • Download one of the many language apps onto your phone, and start to learn a new language. There are free ones out there and they are quite simple to use.

  • Ever wanted to learn to knit, crotchet, sew, paint or do cross stitch? Or a million other things? You Tube is your friend. You can watch many, many video tutorials to learn how to do just about anything, and it wont cost you much more than your internet connection.

  • How about decluttering your home? Use this time to sort out all your clothes, donate what you no longer want to your local charity. By the way if you need help working out what to keep and what to donate, the best rule of thumb is… If you have not worn the item in the past 12 months… donate it! The only exception to that rule is if you own a seriously expensive item that you have not had an occasion to wear, so long as it still fits you and is in good condition. Also use this time to do any repairs that are needed – sew those loose buttons on, fix that hem that is falling down.

  • Declutter your nick nacks. Do you really need/like them? How about your book collection? Sort out the ones you’d like to keep and donate the rest. Then set aside some time to catch up on reading all those books, you’ve been meaning to read for years.

  • Do the same with your DVD collection. With the cooler months coming, now is the perfect time to prepare for sitting down with a hot chocolate and a bowl of popcorn and to watch an old movie.

  • Go through your kitchen cupboards and your linen and get rid of anything you no longer use, need or like.

We all have things we’ve been “meaning to do” or things we’ve thought “Oh I’ll get around to that one day” Well let this be the opportunity you’ve been waiting for, we can’t go out and socialise, catch up with friends for a meal out or a quick drink, so we may as well put our free time to good use, and the best part is that it won’t cost you any extra money.

When it comes to catching up with friends, we need to get creative. So text your friends and decide on a date and time to connect online for a chat and a coffee or a glass of wine, whatever you prefer. Work out what is the best system to you all to use, Facetime, Skype, Video Chat, etc. and enjoy catching up.

Staying connected during this time is vital for us all and it is a good way of reminding each other that although we are isolated, we are still a community.

Kathrine Carton ~ Counsellor

www.kcartoncounselling.com.au

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