How to Stay Sane During COVID-19 Quarantine

Wow.  Who would have thought 2020 would start off with such a bang?  But not like a loud, happy, fun bang; more like one of those long, low gongggggs that shakes your entire body and reverberates through your bones and seems to go on forever.  Like literally forever. Maybe not forever 😉. But one thing is for certain, COVID-19 is a new beast, my friends.

But we’re going to get through this!  Let’s try to do it as safely, healthily and sanely as possible.  Yeah?

Here are some things that are sure to keep us sane over these next x months:

1. Get grounded.  Prayer.  Meditation.  Journaling. Experts say (we love a good appeal to the “experts.”  V effective. Experts say.) these things will solve all your problems immediately and completely in perpetuity 4ever.  Lolz. But for real, having a grounding practice has kept me from losing it every five minutes these last few weeks. What it should look like is probably different for everyone.  But for me it’s this: start the morning off with a prayer (extra points for giving thanks!), read some words of scripture (whatever speaks to your soul 🙏), and set your intention for the day (I recommend using my best friend, The Five Minute Journal.  Abt to become your best friend too).  Life-changing. I’m telling you.
2. Get rly into skincare.  I’m not even gonna try to pretend to be an expert on this one, I’m just gonna say check out these skincare queens and do whatever they say 😉: @kathleenjenningsbeauty, @greatthingsibought and @jamieobanion
3. Perfect time to perfect the perfect yoga pose.  Bc as some famous yogi said, "You cannot always control what goes on outside. But you can always control what goes on inside."  Mmm. Yeah. What she said. Not good at yoga? Don’t worry, bc as another yogi said: "It's not about being good at something. It's about being good to yourself."  Treat yo self. With a lil yogi treat. Savasana. Night night bb. Furthermore--in case I haven’t convinced you yet--when in lockdown, yoga is a cure for wanderlust: "Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self."  When you can’t journey physically, journey yogically! Heh. Here are a few of my fave YouTube videos (ilYT bc free): 20 min practice, 30 minute practice, and 40 minute practice
4. The shows must go on.  Ahhh.  My favorite topic.  Here’s a list of all the shows you apparently need to be watching rn according to me and my best insta friends: Friday Night Lights, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Schitt’s Creek, Pushing Daisies, The Good Place, The Great Interior Design Challenge, Next in Fashion, The Man in the High Castle, Making the Cut, Salt Fat Acid Heat, All American, Love is Blind.  Any other recommendations you’d like to add? Leave a comment below and we’ll add it in! Thanks boo :)
5. No more excuses not to read all those books you always said you were gonna read (talking mostly to myself here 😜).  I used to be a reader. I’d like to still be a reader.  But I also apparently have a bottomless pit of excuses as to why I don’t have time (v original ;).  What better excuse than a stay-at-home order to throw all those other excuses out with the handwashing water and become a reader?  For good book ideas, I always go to my girl Janssen of Everyday Reading.  She’s got lists as bottomless as my excuses, and her taste never lets me down.  Start with 10 Great Books: My Most Recommended Titles.  Or maybe 17 Lighthearted and Funny Books for Grownups, if you’d like to stop crying for a minute or two and have a little laugh.  Might be nice (*says in between sobs*).
6. Go for a walk.  Sunshine.  Fresh air. Trees.  #Nature never disappoints!
7. Virtual GNI with your besties courtesy of Zoom, Facetime, or Google Hangout.  Burnin it down online is almost as fun as burning it down mano y mano.  But girls.
8. Get fancy.  Nowhere to go?  Who cares! Try that new makeup tutorial, beachy-wave your hair, and dress up while you’re dressing down.  I recommend a pretty nightgown and robe.  Nothing like a fancy nightgown to put a lil pep in your quarantine step.  
9. Take a class.  Experts (aka me times the power of Google) say Coursera, Masterclass, Udemy, LinkedIn Learning, Google Digital Garage, edX, Khan Academy, Skillshare, FutureLearn, Lynda are all good bets ;).  Happy learning smarty!
10. Make some fun plans for the future.  Actual experts (😂) say, planning a trip is even more fun than actually taking it.  For rillz. A 2010 study found that vacationers experience a significant boost of happiness in the planning and anticipation stage of a trip, even more so than when they are on the trip!  Wut? Makes sense though when you think about it. Imagination is powerful.  Also imagination costs no $$, so the planning stage can be as extravagant as your diva self demands.  Penthouse suite plz!  Vacays not your thing? That’s ok. Make plans for anything you’d like to do in the future.  Learn a language. Take up a new skill. Land your dream job. Map it all out and plan how you’re going to execute, down to the tiniest detail. I promise you’ll feel happier, and more empowered, than ever before. Plus you’ll have a plan to follow when someday comes ;).  

There you have it friends!  Your official COVID-19 quarantine survival guide, courtesy of your local fancy, comfy, 24/7 jammie expert.  Stay healthy, stay well, and always, stay comfy babes ✌️.