Top 5 Simple Ways to Minimize the Pandemic Blues

When the days start to blend together in a feeling of boredom, it’s time to get out of a rut. Has the pandemic found you feeling like Bill Murray’s character in the movie Groundhog Day?

Some days, I feel good and focused, enjoying work and family and counting my blessings. Other days, I feel mopey and annoyed around this pandemic situation, and have to make an effort to pull out of the rut. I’m fine with feeling that way for a bit. Every feeling gets its day in the sun. But when it starts to feel self-perpetuating—mopey simply begets more mopey—I want OUT.

Do you feel like you need a mood re-set more often these days? Read on for some tips.

Health Journey High-Fives

Congratulations to our rockstar January 2021 Body Sass® Cleanse Group Program participants! The New Year Cleanse ended this past Friday and I just love seeing the rave reviews come in. Especially now, as the COVID pandemic drags on, when many of us are in need of a positive focus and some measure of “yay.” One gentleman shared his yay:

“I can’t believe how good I feel. Losing 11 pounds is great for sure, but I FEEL better than I’ve felt in decades. I honestly didn’t know I could feel this good and energetic at age 58. Many of these changes will continue, for me. I’m not willing to give up how I feel. Thank you for all of the time and care you’ve put into this program. It’s stellar!”

Likely due to said pandemic, an unprecedented number of participants are continuing the Cleanse beyond the 21 days, for an extra week or two. And many others are creating lasting intentional change in what I call their “New Normal”…bringing some of their “ah-ha” Program discoveries into their daily life to maintain a new level of health and feeling good.

If you too would like to use the lifestyle shifts (more time at home) that the pandemic has ushered in to focus on YOUR health, immunity and well-being, doing a solo Cleanse is always an option. You can learn more and register HERE. 

Speaking of lifestyle shifts that the pandemic has ushered in…

Groundhog Day

Yesterday was Groundhog Day. Here in the U.S. Northeast, we found ourselves deep in a wild snowstorm yesterday, so I’m wondering if maybe the groundhogs decided to delay Groundhog Day. But as of late, for many of us humans, every day can feel like Groundhog Day. The pandemic finds many people feeling like Bill Murray’s character in the 1993 movie Groundhog Day, where a weatherman finds himself living the same day over and over again.

Why? Many of us are limiting social activities and working from home or in a hybrid between work and home. Many of the people, activities and experiences that added spice to our pre-COVID lives are on hold. The weekends don’t feel all that different than the weekdays. We see the same limited group of people. We wear the same comfy clothes over and over. And on. We find ourselves in a Pandemic Groundhog Day, needing to get out of a rut.

It’s amazing what a bit of variety and novelty can do to lift our spirits and infuse our daily lives with more happiness and content. Let’s explore.

5 Simple Ways to Get Out of a Rut

1. Learn something new.
   Or dust off an old activity that you haven’t done in a long time—so long that it feels new. Maybe you take an online art class or teach yourself how to pay chess. Perhaps you enjoy baking and are going to rehab some of your favorite recipes to be more healthy. Maybe you enroll in an in-person or online yoga class, or learn to speak a new language. The ideas are virtually endless, and it can range from free to expensive, from short-term to long-term, and from easy to challenging. The important thing is for you to be excited about it.
2. Embark on something new with a friend or family member.
   This follows nicely on to number one. Create a new, positive way to engage with someone you really dig. Maybe you and your BFF decide you’re going to learn Italian together, possibly with an eye to sharing a trip to Italy in 2023. Each time you talk on the phone, you encourage each other to use some Italian. This same idea can be used with virtually any new endeavor. For instance, two friends or siblings could do a solo Cleanse in tandem! There’s a reason I run group programs: Humans are social animals and we like to do stuff together. It’s how we’re wired, and the pandemic has really challenged us in this department. Get creative with ways to positively connect with others.
3. Do one thing different each day.
   This can be simple, like drinking a different flavor of tea to start your morning. Or it can more complex, like driving a different way to work if you’re still commuting. Maybe you typically take a walk at the end of the day, so you decide to do that during a lunch break instead. Instead of showering at night, you shower in the morning. Eat dinner in the living room instead of at the table. It’s amazing what a little variety can do to bring texture and interest to our days.
4. Move your furniture around.
   Create a change in the feel of your living space to encourage feelings of novelty and interest. It can be as simple as swapping the chair in your bedroom for the chair in the living room or moving some pillows or rugs around. Or, you can go whole-hog and completely rearrange a room in your home. De-cluttering a room can feel amazing and new too. All great ways to get out of a rut.
5. Provide yourself a weekly outing.
   Our options are limited these days, so chose something that is do-able, like traveling to a nearby beach, forest, park or local conservation land. The place doesn’t have to be far away; it can be walkable or a bike ride away. Maybe you do it with a few family/friend members who are in your pod. When you’re there, maybe put your phones on silent and really just BE with the experience. Soak in the novelty. Not only is the outing itself a nice change of pace, but the pre-planning and the post-discussion can be equally delightful and novel.

At every turn—even during a pandemic—we can make choices that shift the way we experience life. Yesterday on my lunch break, I took myself snowshoeing in the beginnings of a snowstorm. Experience has taught me that I have to take action on my own behalf. The out-of-doors will very often re-set my mood toward positive.

Our own intentional actions and habits are the key to empowered well-being in body, mind and spirit. I invite you to get out of a rut as often as needed, by making some small moves on your own behalf.

Create Vibrant Health: BodyMindSpirit®

With love,
Laurie