In these early days of pandemic response, we need to ground ourselves in a clear sense of “First Things First.” Here are some of my recent thoughts.

Food:

It is easy to snack/overeat when you are stressed or bored and stuck at home. This is now reality for a lot of people. I was sick with colds and sinus infections for 8 straight weeks this winter, from mid-December through mid-February, so I get it. I was already self-isolating before this latest madness started. And during that time I learned a few tricks.

The solution with food/hunger is two-fold:

1. Have a food plan each day (I write mine on a post-it note) and stick to it
2. The key to feeling full, satisfied, more often is simple: water. Hot, cold, in tea, in soup, through a straw, lots of water. It helps your immune system too. That way it will be easier to ration what food you have at home, make it last longer, and you’ll stay healthier.

Exercise:

Now that springtime is toying with us in the Northeast, it is so tempting to go outside. Do it of course, if you can, while avoiding people at the same time. For those of us who live in apartment buildings whose hallways and stairwells are starting to feel like biology-class petri dishes, you can still get some really good exercise, and mood elevation, by dancing to your favorite music via Pandora or even the radio (‘what’s that?’) If it’s truly your favorite tunes (usually from our teens and twenties for most folks), you’ll be dancing in no time whether you like it or not.  Go crazy! It’s your music, and a celebration of your own amazing life. Instant anti-depressant and anti-anxiety med, free of charge. Only side effect is joy.

So ration your supplies, but not your joy. This pandemic shall pass eventually, one way or another. In the meantime, you are here. It is time to enjoy every minute (just like it always is…)

Oh, and save some of that beautiful water for painting…

Self-Portrait: Bobby Heron…. or Bobbie Herron. Discipline with Freedom, all wrapped into one. 🙂