In every situation you have two choices, to look at it from a positive perspective or from a negative perspective. You may not have control over what happens in life, but you do have control over how you react to it.
This time of self-isolation can be boring. It can also be a time of short tempers and impatience. We are basically locked up in a cell that may be the size of an apartment or house with others and expected to stay calm and entertained. Some of our other occupants may be children that are bouncing off the walls because they have no other way to release all that pent-up energy. We are humans! We thrive off of socialization and stimulation!
Our society has become dependent upon the entertainment of cell phones. You can find children as young as two holding onto a phone watching a cartoon in a shopping cart at the grocery store. That is when things were “normal” you could. Groups of teens are used to getting together otherwise known as “getties”, according to my teenage daughters, to hang out all the while glued to their cellphones. It really is sad how dependent we have become on this invention. We can choose to once and for all put down the cellphones and actually talk to one another. Self-isolation is a perfect time to listen to our kids’ thoughts and feelings. Maybe we can talk to our significant other instead of texting them! Maybe we will learn something new about each other that we didn’t know.
Take the time, in between back-to-back episodes of Westworld, of course, to get to know your family. Play get-to-know-you games. Have each person write a few questions on pieces of paper, fold them up, put in a bowl and then sit at a table and have each one of you pick a question and ask it to the group. The answers you receive may surprise you. It will definitely be a bonding moment and one that you all won’t forget.
Take a walk outside together and alone, preferably in nature. The calmness of nature along with the exercise is a good way to release any pent-up energy. Focus on the blessings of life. Reflect upon all that you have to be thankful for. If you have a hard time starting, start with the basics – your health. Be thankful that you are healthy enough to go outside for a walk.
Find time to be alone and use the time to self-reflect. Look at your life and where you are. Go within yourself and do a self-assessment and look at the areas that could use improvement. Make a pact with yourself to improve at least one thing. Ask the other members of your household to do the same thing and then come together as a group and tell each other what you want to improve. This will help you to be accountable.
Think of all the times when you didn’t feel like going to work. Well, you got your wish! Unfortunately, it never seems to be as glamorous as in your mind, unless you have the control. But, if you can change your perspective, you will realize that you do have control over how you view the situation. Change the way you look at your life, and watch your life change.
