The days we are dealing with are not something someone would expect to live anytime during their lifetime. We learn that to live a ‘normal’ life is to have something on your to-do list every day, but this pandemic has taught us that we can’t over plan our lives, and clearly that nature always beats nurture.
In times of trouble, when we unite, we thrive.
Personally, these past few months have taught me that as human beings, it is our responsibility to create a community and a world in union. There’s been more than a couple of cultural events and rising movements during the coronavirus, because life’s natural mutation has taught us that we have been wrong this whole time. We’ve been living outwards instead of inwards. We try to grow our businesses, our personal belongings, our social circle- which I am not saying is wrong- but we forget to grow inwards. Inwards is where we find the real magic we have.
When you connect the things inside of you gifted at birth (metaphorically) inside of you, it's seen that things on the outside start connecting as well.
Today, comfort is the new normal.
Comfort on the inside will allow yourself to be comfortable on the outside. I wrote a post on my personal blog: www.meetstellax.com called “Fashion in a Post Pandemic World” where I go over this topic. The world (generalizing obviously) no longer cares about expensive things. We care about comfort and about how we feel in our daily ordinary environments. I myself feel strange when I wear jeans and heels now! Don’t you? I’ve been lounging around my house for so long, working, studying, exploring inner talents e.t.c. that I don’t mind my clothes as much as I used to. Of course, I love feeling beautiful but in a comfortable type of way.
Self-love and taking care of our health are the new goals.
Tapping inside, to the places where we had been hiding our truest identity because we had been pleasing society is needed. I cannot stress enough on how important it is to be yourself and to love yourself because this way, others will love you for who you are too. If you accept yourself with your flaws and with your uniqueness, I promise you that you will attract those around you who truly love you for those reasons as well. Please yourself and hug your heart first- and with time things will fall in place.
Here are seven things you can do to feel productive and fill up your soul:
1. Read:
Find a good book. A page turner. Read it.
My top picks:
1. Kane and Abel, Jeffery Archer
2. Conversations with friends, Sally Rooney
3. The asylum, Simon Doonan (A must for fashion lovers)
4. Everything is fucked, Marc Manson
5. 11/22/63, Stephen King (I am currently reading this one and I am very into the story.)
2. Write:
Get a journal or open a word document. Start writing, Anything. How you feel, what you wish for, start a secret life for a character you make up. Whatever you like, put it out there, get it out of your mind, it works like therapy. Brain working = mood boosting.
I am doing a 30 day challenge that I recommend. It’s a great way to start writing and making it a healthy habit.
3. Meditate:
Before this pandemic, meditation is something I didn’t do. It wasn’t even such a big thing. I believe it started rising when podcasts started being available. I’ve been doing a “21 days of abundance” by Deepak Chopra meditation. Definitely worth a shot! You can find it on YouTube. Set a daily reminder to take 15 minutes a day to nourish your inner self. If it’s not really your style, there’s hundreds of meditations on Spotify & online.
4. Run/walk:
Set goals. Exercise is important for your physical/mental health and your mood. My goal is to run 5km 4 times a month, that being once a week. Start from there. If it seems like too much, start with a 30 min walk twice a week and work your way up. Do it, your body deserves it.
5. Cook: try new recipes get creative
Mmmmm. Does anyone even need to be told to do this! Personally, I love cooking and baking. I enjoy seeing what I feed into my body, and its twice as satisfying when your own hands are the ones making it. Open a recipe book you have at home, or google, or a food blogger on Instagram and follow their instructions on any recipe you crave. Delicious.
I recommend looking for healthy options for meals and dessert on : www.notafancykitchen.com or on Instagram as @notafancykitchen. Another good option is @healthycorde on Instagram.
6. Start a business/earn money
You’ll never have as much free time as you have now. Also, as we see the unemployment rate go upwards, consider yourself lucky enough to have access to basic education and start something new (I am assuming this because of having access to this blog!). Look for a common problem that needs solving. It can be as easy as shoelaces untying constantly or social platforms and data. You have time. You have tools. Start creating and earn money. Work hard and give it time.
7. Dedicate time to the things you didn’t give time to before
This is probably the most important thing that quarantine has given us time for. Had we honestly ever had been given so much time before? To ourselves at home? I really don’t think so. It’s something great, I could even say we are lucky. I sometimes think people believe I am crazy because I have a thing for looking at all the positives before the negatives. It is true though! Give yourself time to do the things you always put aside and are looking forward to. Organize your time and open up space for you. Prioritize.
These are all very easy things to do and to get access to, you just have to want it. Take time for yourself and for your close friends and family. This pandemic is not easy for anybody, we all have our stress and anxiety no matter how big or small. Learn something new! Get excited about the small things, life is really simple. Maybe I listed things you already do or maybe are tired of doing so change it up. Find another blog to read about these things or start your own! Get happy. Feel happy. Be productive at your own pace. Those are my wishes for you, I wish you well and happiness on this journey. May you fill your heart with the love inside you.
Big shout out to @society_blog / https://www.societyblog.net/ for wanting this collaboration with me as much as I did.
Find the happiness in yourself and may you stay that way.
Xoxo, Stella.