And here we are...
sitting at home, surviving the virus...
now what.....
Do you remember that Disney movie, Tangled? If so this was her daily schedule...
Seven a.m., the usual morning lineup Start on the chores and sweep 'till the floor's all clean Polish and wax, do laundry, and mop and shine up Sweep again, and by then it's like 7:15
And so I'll read a book Or maybe two or three I'll add a few new paintings to my gallery I'll play guitar and knit And cook and basically Just wonder when will my life begin?
Then after lunch it's puzzles and darts and baking Paper mache, a bit of ballet and chess Pottery and ventriloquy, candle making Then I'll stretch, maybe sketch, take a climb Sew a dress!
And I'll reread the books If I have time to spare I'll paint the walls some more I'm sure there's room somewhere And then I'll brush and brush And brush and brush my hair…
And wonder When will my life begin!
Sometimes I feel like I am doing the same thing all day long. I can tell you one thing this house is super, duper clean and getting cleaner and more sterilized by the min.
It is amazing to me all the humor that can be found concerning the coronavirus, but then you have to sit back and think of it from a biblical perspective. Somehow we all have drifted so far from the truth that we can't get back home. So I am going to talk a little bit more about what you can do, to have your own factory reset and get back on track with God.
Last week I told my fiance' that I was tired of doing the same thing every day, acting the same way, and I felt that I needed a factory reset, so here are a few tips to help and encourage you to get back to the Basics of Life.
What does it mean to get back to the basics of life...well here are some interesting ways to do so and to make the best of this virus. We want to come out on top not looking back and wishing we did more.
It’s a crazy, busy world we live in, and it seems to be getting more hectic as time goes on. With all of the devices, technology, and media available, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. The reason people may feel adverse to the fast pace of the modern world is that it’s entirely different from the rhythm of the natural world and our natural instincts.
When you go out into nature, everything seems to be moving at such a soothing, even pace. Just as Lao Tzu, the ancient Chinese philosopher, and writer would say, “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” Yet if you look to around, you’ll find quite the opposite in our society. Some people tend to be so impatient, wanting everything immediately, or else disappointment and dissatisfaction sets in. For many of us, that’s not the kind of life we want to live. Going back to basics through simplifying your life is one of the ways we can empower ourselves and not get caught up in the rat race. Here are some ideas to get you started:
1. Know yourself and your priorities
This is the first step to living a life that’s your own or one that is after God's design, which is a great way to simplify everything and become more focused and less distracted. To start simplifying your life, you’ll want to know what matters to you most. Write some of the things that mean the most to you on a piece of paper or journal about it. Here are some ways to lower stress and take care of yourself. A) Don't focus on what is out of your control but rather focus on what God wants for your life. Take this wedding I am planning...I had grand ideas of decorations, guests of over 70 people, walking down a glass isle in a beautiful white dress, seeing the people I love around me and seeing my love at the alter, and now due to the virus I am wondering if even ten people can come, and where I can find masks and gloves for everyone. B) Don't focus on the news to keep you updated. So everyone knows that everything CNN tells us is fake news and they are designed to come against our President and to make the people hysteric, don't believe their words, focus on the truth and visit websites that speak only truth. C) Also, don't get caught up in he hysteria that we are in the end times. If you need some confirmation on it listen to Pastor Kevin Broyhill of Calvary Baptist church in King, NC, he has a great way of summing that up.
To hear more messages in times like these go to Calvary Baptist church King, NC app (its a burgundy icon with a cross on it). Best new messages "What's Next?" "What's Next-Part 2" preached by Pastor Kevin Broyhill.
2. Lower your expenses
Embrace an attitude of gratitude for the items you already own and maybe even try out minimalism. The less cluttered our lives are, the more simple they tend to be. Borrow items you need from friends or your community. You can also try living in a smaller space to save money, switch to a cheaper cell phone plan or internet service. You will be surprised at how happy you will feel having less.
3. Completely unplug
When we think back 50 or even 25 years ago, things definitely moved at a slower pace. Back then people didn’t have the world at their fingertips. If you wanted to talk to someone, you called them, or you just ran into each other somewhere. To simplify your life, why not pretend like it’s 1994 again and forget you even have a cell phone or internet? Try it for a full day and see how fun it can be. Pick up baking and when all this is over, you can invite someone over for a slice of homemade cake.
4. Detox Your Home
Think of this as pre-spring spring-cleaning. Your home – everything from your wardrobe to your tea towels to your appliances – is a reflection of you. My guess is that your personality isn’t cluttered and covered in cobwebs... is it?
During Christmas, you probably received your fair share of unwanted stocking stuffers — all the little chachskees that ultimately live in your junk drawer forever. But consider that all of the little things you aren’t using could be treasures to someone else. So:
-Turn that junk drawer upside down... into the garbage bin.
-Take your old garments to your nearest thrift store.
-If you’re a multitasker and who is often working on simultaneous projects, find a place for working on your DIY’s. Take this time of isolation to get re-organized.
5. Detox Your Body
So, you stuffed your face with pasta and rice. (It’s okay, we all did.) If you find yourself unusually tired, sluggish and irritable, maybe it’s time to think about a physical detox.
-Work off those Christmas pounds by pounding some pavement. If you can stick out this quarantine, you’ll have the privilege of watching your families mouths drop at how much you lost staying at home. I can just see them now, instead of gaining weight during isolation you lost weight and when they can finally see you again you will have beaten this virus by looking even better coming out then going in.
-Rather than a cayenne pepper detox, consider going herbal. (No, not that kind of herbal.) Herbal cleanses like the Wild Rose Detox rid your body of nasty toxins while still allowing – and encouraging! – you to eat.
-Lay your pretty head down for the eight hours of sleep you want, need and deserve each night. This will kick your immune system into high gear and you’ll wake up with energy you never knew you had.
-Take time to walk the neighborhood, ride your bike, listen to a podcast while doing yoga, there are so many opportunities.
6. Detox Your Mind
Some of the best advice I’ve ever received was to not let someone or something occupy a rent-free room ‘upstairs.' We all have unwelcome stressors in our lives, so why feed and coddle them?
Much like your body, you feel thinner and cleaner when you detox your thoughts. However, make sure you forgive yourself during the process. You’re only human – it’s okay to stumble.
-Take stock of irrational, unhealthy thought patterns and make a conscious effort to correct them. Body image issues run rampant this time of year, but don’t beat yourself down because you’re tipping the scale just a bit heavier than you were a month ago. You’re the most beautiful when you believe it.
-Before retiring each night, think of something positive that happened during your day. This is a simple and effective way to find those silver linings.
-Slim down on the time you spend on social media. Nobody’s business matters more than your own.
7. Detox Your Social Circle
It’s all about quality, not quantity. Detoxifying involves letting out the bad so you can let in the good — this idea lends itself to the people with whom you surround yourself.
-You don’t need “frenemies.” Take your indifference to the next level and eliminate them entirely. Trust me, you won’t miss them.
-Purge your Facebook friend list. Would you really invite 1,200 people to your wedding or send each a personalized holiday card? Use questions like this to measure who is worthy of your valuable time and attention.
-Family are the friends you don’t get to choose, so invest time and love into the people with whom you share DNA. They’re the ones who will stand by your side when others walk away.
8. Detox Your Finances
Unfortunately, I know we are back to finances but this topic can make or break us. There’s an element of truth to the notion that money makes the world go round. Take a long, hard look at your credit card statement and the way you spend your cash.
We work hard for our paychecks, and while it’s perfectly acceptable to treat ourselves every now and then, does daily Starbucks really give life more meaning? Doubtful. When you live simply, you will find more time (and funding) to enjoy the finer things in life. Lets, work on praying over our finances and become better stewards of the money that God has allowed us to have. Also with isolation churches have online giving if you can't actually fill out a tithing envelope, so you still need to give to God what is God's.
If you panic bought 30 rolls of toilet paper,
just remember you still need to tithe 10% to God so 3 of those rolls
belong to the church.
Tithing isn't cancelled!
-Set a “splurge” for 2020. A hot holiday vacation, a home, those crazy expensive shoes you’ve been drooling over for years – any single splurge to motivate you away from frivolous, impulsive spending.
-Set a budget and stick to it. Free apps like Mint will take the guesswork out of your spend trends and will let you know how well you’re sticking to your plan.
-Leave your plastic at home. Sometimes the feeling you glean from window-shopping is just as satisfying as the actual purchase itself. Buyer’s remorse, be gone!
By adopting even just a few of these tips into your daily life, you’ll be happier, healthier and wondering why you didn’t do this in 2019.
9. Free up your time to free up your mind
Slow down! What about that awesome to-do list of yours with a million and one tasks? Slash it down by half, yes that’s correct! Go through it again and think about every task on the list, do you really want to do it? Is it necessary? Can it wait until tomorrow? Have a want-to list instead of a to-do list.
There is compelling evidence that we get more done when we slow down. Don’t fall for multi-tasking, it is an illusion of productivity. Slowing down frees up our mind and allows for more creative and intuitive thinking. It makes us better listeners as we are present in the moment.
10.Delete negativity from your life: thoughts, emotions and people.
Walk away from haters! Negative thoughts, emotions and people drain you by sucking all your energy. Negativity is contagious and toxic, it spreads like a virus, feeding off one another’s fears and anxieties. How to deal with it? Practice Gratitude and give back
Allow yourself to recognize all you have. Gratitude takes practice. In our fast paced lives, it is not something that will come naturally to us everyday. Make room for it by reflecting and counting your blessings. You could write post-its in the morning and put them on your fridge as reminders, or mark your calendar with all the things you are thankful for. Before you sleep, replay the movie of your day or week and watch it with the eyes of an unprivileged outsider (always works). Take a quiet, solitary walk and appreciate all the goodness of nature around you. Say your prayers and connect with your spiritual self. Once you learn this art, you would automatically want to give back and share what you have with others.
Now I know you don't have to take any of this advice but I can tell you that since this virus started and I took my own advice I feel my attitude has changed. Think of it this way:
You are not Stuck at home
You are Safe at home!
Love you all and keep the faith...I will have another blog up soon on more helpful tips and inspiring things to keep us going through these hard times.
you all stay safe!!
