As I wrap up another week of working remotely during COVID-19 (Coronavirus), I’m reflecting. What once felt like a solid foundation — our commutes, children’s school routines, sports, dining out, our jobs, and our health — is no longer something we can rely upon.

Picking through the coronavirus memes, frightening news, and homeschool horror stories, I’m encouraged to hear about the helpers, the birthday parades, and the neighborhood responses. Restaurants are taking food to healthcare workers, supporters are buying gift cards and to-go meals from those restaurants, and neighborhoods are hanging Christmas lights or pictures of rainbows in their windows. It’s a sign that we’re all in this together. We’re stronger together.

In the midst of fear and uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, here are reasons to look at this taxing time with hope and even optimism.

you can Connect with the community

“As a nation, we’re often divided on political issues, but when faced with disaster, we pull together.”

As a nation, we’re often divided on political issues, but when faced with disaster, we pull together. The collective response to help others through our current predicament is essential. Get in on that togetherness. Isolation can lead to depression, so check on your neighbor or friend who lives alone and may be struggling. Participate in the neighborhood bear hunt. Whatever you can safely do to stay connected with the world outside your home, do it.

you can Begin new projects

You finally have time to tackle those household chores you were putting off like painting the bedroom, cleaning out closets, or planting a garden. As we settle in for more sheltering in place, choose one or two things to get done each weekend. Then, when it’s time to venture back out into the world you’ll have plenty of free time.

you can Try new things

With so much downtime, you can get back to your favorite hobbies or pick up a new one. Learn to play guitar. Teach yourself a foreign language. Look at this newfound free time as an opportunity to do, or find, something you love.

You can Leave home without leaving the couch

There are plenty of ways to keep yourself entertained beyond the remote control or your TBR stack. A quick Google search finds free virtual tours of museums and historic sites, opera live streams, and living room concerts by your favorite bands. When else could you experience this kind of culture and entertainment — in your living room? Plus most of these are free, so you can enjoy them no matter your budget.

you can Help the community

There are plenty of ways to help others while keeping CDC guidelines for physical distancing in mind. Donate blood, make a donation to a non-profit, or support your local small business, restaurant, or bar.

you can Revel in family time

Parents, you may be struggling with the realities of working (or not, unfortunately, for some) and homeschooling your kids, but look at it as an opportunity to have more time with your children while they’re still young. When the computers are put away for the day, and you’re looking for things to do, go outside and play together, take a walk, find a board game — or simply talk to each other. This is a chance to grow together as a family.

Or, you can Sit on your sofa and chill

This can also be a time to take a beat for some self-care. You don’t have to write a novel or learn French or figure out the meaning of life. You can dig deep and just chill until it’s all over. We’re in this together, and together we can find gratitude in having a roof over our heads, food in the pantry (although you might have to get creative in your cooking) and family by our side. We can also find the time to breathe.

It would be easy to let the negative feelings of prolonged isolation bring you down. Most of us are on an emotional roller coaster right now. But you can also take this time to improve your experience — whatever that means for you — and re-configure relationships and activities.

Time is a gift and I, for one, am grateful for a little extra right now. If the September 11 attacks taught us anything, it’s that we’re resilient. We may just emerge from social distancing closer, smarter, and richer beyond words. I choose to think that this challenge will bring out the best in us, and that we’re all on the edge of something grand.

Featured

ANGELA HOWERTER

Angela has an unhealthy relationship with cookies, which she misses during an ulcerative colitis flare-up, and believes that there are healing powers in an angry rock song. She tortures herself with exercise, and when she’s not doing that, she spends time dreaming up t-shirt designs for her side-hustle in support of autism awareness. Her favorite pastime includes relaxing with a good book and a glass of wine while her dogs Dex and Kevin snuggle by her side.