Like it or not, we have been given the opportunity to rest, renew, rejuvenate and improve. The Universe has created a circumstance that has caused us to basically stop life as we have known it. It has been an adjustment phase that has been easier to accept for some more so than others, but we all need to remember that we are in this together!
There is strength in numbers. United we stand – Divided we fall. The sheer remembrance that we are not alone and that we are all experiencing the same isolation, struggles, and adjustments as each other can bring some solace during these stressful times.
With a lot of time on our hands comes boredom. There also comes cabin fever. It is important to make good use of this downtime because when the wheels of motion of day-to-day life start to turn again, you will be wishing for this moment sometimes. This is a great time to focus on yourself and make daily goals for self-improvement.
So where do you start? First of all, you need to do a self-assessment. Examine the areas of yourself that need improvement. What areas can you improve? Maybe you need to work on patience, worry, or fear. Be honest with yourself, no matter how difficult it may be. Write down everything that you notice that you want to improve. It is so much easier to live in denial, but if you improve the areas of yourself that you have been living in denial over, they won’t exist anymore and cause a subconscious, underlying current of dissatisfaction.
Next, move to your relationships. What areas could use improvement? Write down what you think needs to be improved to strengthen your bonds. We certainly have a lot of time on our hands and are likely stuck in the house for longer than usual periods of time with our families. How can you foster these relationships in the here and now and strengthen them for the long term? Make your time together quality, not just stuck on the phones or computers, as usual, isolating each other while you are together. Find ways to spend time together and have fun. Play games. Play cards. Ask questions of each other about feelings, life, etc. Don’t forget to take this time to reach out to friends and family members that you don’t talk to regularly. We are all in this together and a simple call could brighten up someone else’s life at this time.
Lastly, examine your career/work life. Is it the job you really want? Most of us are not working at this time, so this is the time to do some self-reflection about your job. This is the time to start business goals if you want to open up a business. Make a list of what you love doing and look up the types of careers that fit that list. If it requires schooling, start your online college journey. You have the time!
Once you have your lists, prioritize each one based upon the most important items that you want to improve. Place those at the top of the list then start tackling each item one by one. Take the first item on your list and write about it. Be detailed about the area that needs improving and why it needs to be improved. Write down the emotions it currently evokes for you. Then, make a goal to improve it. The writing process of accepting the area that needs improving and facing the issue will be therapeutic in itself. Set a goal every day of what you are going to do to improve the issue. Use a calendar or write it on a piece of paper to hold yourself accountable. Every morning after you wake up, go over the goals and set a time to act upon them each day. You need to be open, honest, flexible and hold yourself accountable and you can improve the areas of yourself and your life that you want to in as little as 30 days.
