We have come a long way in two weeks, and as we all get to grips with our lives slowing down we have realised the opening up of more time to do… well… err…
To begin with, the mind was baffled how it was even possible to spend 100% of our time indoors, at home, together. I mean, what exactly will we do?
So it turns out, the sky is the limit on the opportunities if you are open to them. Which is exactly the mantra I’m channelling, and I hope I might inspire you to do the same.
Play an instrument
I will dust off that guitar, I will. Ten years I’ve been saying that and despite the road block being the fact it was so severely out of tune, I didn’t know where to start, You Tube soon fixed that.
And so, I will learn a song a week as long as this goes on, and my poor suffering family will love it. #RockOn
Bake bread
Courtesy of Jamie Oliver, the girls and I made some actual home made bread with just two ingerdients that we had in our cupboard. Sure the yeast was out of date, but it kinda worked – and knowing we had rustled it up with our bare hands made it taste all the more rustic and wholesome. I’d go as far as to say it was the best bread ever.
Make a rainbow
Rainbows aren’t just for kids. Day 1 of lockdown we got ours up and on display and I still love how two weeks on, passers by stop and smile. It’s one of the things I’ll remember about this time and if you haven’t made a rainbow yet, then frankly what are you waiting for.
Be ready to think outside the box, and the more creative the better. Go go go.
Cut a head of hair
I never knew I had a stylist inside of me, but two weeks in and I’ve officially performed three procedures. The victims were willing and I figured if I just imagined every snip snippedy snip I had spent many hours watching over the course of my life, I’m sure I could pull this off.
I will never pay to have the girls hair cut ever again…
Make your mark
With a little time on your hands and a creative itch that needs to be scratched, the sky is the limit on what you can produce.
It’s amazing to fill a space in time and create something special, whether it be a cross stitch, a home made item of clothing, jazz something up (flowers on curtains was a fab one!), sketch a pencil drawing or hi jack the kids arts and crafts set. Let them see you create, lose yourself in a little project, and inspire their little minds.
Sort out crap
I’m predominantly talking about kitchen cupboards, drawers of clothes that won”t shut, sheds that need de-cluttering… but hell you could apply this to your finances, your photo storage, your handbag or even your will.
There is a sense of great lightness and satisfaction on standing back and admiring the fruit of your labour, and there is always one more thing you can sort through to keep your mind busy for a little while.
Write it down
Writing is a hugely carthartic pastime and if you’ve always fancied writing your memoirs, documenting your family tree, starting a blog or journalling, what better time to put pen to paper than now.
If poetry has always taken your fancy, or if you think you have the perfect children’s story right up your sleeve, now could be your opportunity to create that magic.
I’ve been tinkering around with my book for the last 18 months and I am damn sure that if one thing comes out of this Coronovirus pandemic, it’s going to be the final draft, ready to pitch (to my Mum at very least).
Let it grow
Gardening may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but there has never been a better time to plant a seed, nurture it with water and care, and watch it blossom into something beautiful.
Nature has a way of showing us that life goes on, better times are coming, and who knows, maybe you might grow more than you bargained for.
Failing all of that there is always watching a bit of TV, scrolling on your phone, trusty old You Tube or even a good book.
However you fill your time, stay home, stay safe and keep others safe by doing so.
x MMT