PiCKLEBERRYPOP

We’re into our second month of lockdown here in the US. Other areas have been isolated for longer than that. It’s getting old, isn’t it? So, for today’s post, I have three memes that illustrate how many of us are feeling and three ideas for things we can do to improve how we’re feeling, both mentally and physically.

If you’re a social person, the isolation from friends and family can be really hard. Not only is it hard…it can be BORING! At this point, I think many of us are feeling a little like this:

Many of us are working from home – honestly, not much has changed for me, because I have worked from home for years. But, for those that are having to make this adjustment, it’s easy to get into a rut. Lol, the image below says it perfectly, although it might be a slight exaggeration 😛

Is it just me, or is it HARD to keep track of what day it is when you work from home? I regularly ask my hubby what day it is. He’s working at home now, so he may start experiencing this issue, too! Lol, I guess I’ll have to rely on my phone from now on! Anyway, keeping track of the day has always been a problem for me….but now it’s worse because we’ve lost our “routine” that helped a little. Days just run into each other because we don’t leave the house…..it all becomes a blur.

Now that we’ve lightened the mood a bit, let’s get serious here. We hope you’re all staying healthy and safe. We hope you’re finding lots of things to fill your extra time at home. It’s important for our physical and mental health to stay active, get some sun and not just binge watch our favorite shows. Here are three suggestions of things that you can do that will help your mental and physical health:

1. Take a long walk while carrying a trash bag. Pick up all of the trash that you see. (Be sure to use a trash poker or wear gloves when you do this). Not only will it give you some exercise, but it improves the view for everyone. Just remember to stay socially distant!
2. Make some goodies and leave it on a neighbor’s porch to let them know you’re thinking about them. You can leave a note or even stand and visit with them from a safe distance. So many elderly people are lonely now…this is a great way to brighten their day!
3. Put on your mask, go outside and take some pics of things that are different now compared to BEFORE the pandemic – empty streets, lack of people outside or even the empty shelves at the grocery store (be careful doing this one…use clean hands and KEEP YOUR DISTANCE.) When you have your pics, SCRAP a page about your lockdown experiences. Include LOTS of journaling. This is an unprecedented time, and you know you’re going to forget some of the details of what happened if you don’t write them down now.

It’s easy to feel bored, discouraged or even depressed during a time like this. That’s normal, but try to stay active and give some of our suggestions a try. We’re all in the same boat, so it just takes one person reaching out to help another, and that inspires someone else to reach out…and the cycle begins. So, take a walk, leave a treat for someone, and let us know how it goes!