Over the last three months, we’ve all seen a noticeable shift in how we lead our daily lives.
The number of times we wash our hands, how often we go out in public, and even how we greet one another have all changed. For the time being, we’re not currently able to sit in a crowded theater or go to a sporting event; and travel in all it’s forms has changed dramatically for most of us. But when one door closes another door always opens. As these new standards are being set, what can we learn from these last few months?
What We can Carry Forward into our New Lives
- Small things can bring great joy
- Getting back to the basics
- Intentional time with family
- Slowing down
- Understanding ourselves better
- Isolation has inspired us to reach out to others
- We’ve become more conscious with our spending
- We’ve reconnected with the natural world in a deeper way
- We’ve embraced new hobbies & activities
Quarantine Takeaways
- Appreciate the little things – Since quarantine began, many of the small things we once took for granted have become precious again. Having a balcony where you can get some sun, having a backyard, having a job you can accomplish remotely. All of these were once things we once didn’t value the way we do now.
- Intentional time with family – For some that has meant recognizing how much we needed to slow down from the busyness of life, clear our schedules, and spend more time with our own little tribes. More time at home means we have more time for teaching our children academics and life skills, more family movie nights, more time for reading books together and doing puzzles, playing games, riding bikes, going for walks around the neighborhood, and even church has turned into an opportunity to watch online and worship together from our own living rooms.
- Intentionally connecting with friends and loved ones– Because most of us are unable to socialize the way we used to, we’ve been able to utilize communication tools to bring us together virtually. By realizing what’s truly important to us, friendships and relationships with those we love, we can invest more time and create deeper relationships from afar.
- New hobbies & activities– With limitations on where we can go and what we can do, new hobbies & activities can be a great replacement to fill your tank. We acquired daily family game nights with balloons & charades, science experiments, washable painting, gardening, DIY cards for family & friends, daily smoothies, homemade popsicles, daily swims, online bible studies, prayer calls and bike rides!
- Working out from home – One of the benefits of gyms being closed is that we have learned it is possible to get great workouts from your own home. With minimal equipment, like hand weights, resistance bands, exercise mats and an internet connection (if you want to join a live Zoom workout) you can do almost everything you did at a gym, without the commute and at a fraction of the cost.
Create Your Own Quarantine Takeaways
We compiled this list of items we are grateful for from our time in quarantine. We encourage you to sit down and create our own list of things you learned and even loved during quarantine and apply them to your new normal.