crayonsHome is beginning to take on new meaning in our new coronavirus world. It’s always been the place where we sleep, eat and hopefully feel safe and thrive, but now, it’s so much more.

Home is now school, work and play – and in many cases – a place of great frustration. Living in isolation – even among your family – is a breeding ground for irritability and restlessness.

We love to tell our clients that daily they can grab their box of crayons and choose the colors they want to paint their day. So ask yourself: Should I choose bright and cheery colors, or dull and gloomy? Let’s strive for the sunny ones.

And here are some suggestions to do just that:

  1. Before your feet hit the floor each day, say to yourself: “Today is a great day!” It might sound trite, but it can change your whole outlook.
  2. Need a boost? Say the long vowel Eeeeeeeeeeee out loud, over and over until you start laughing out loud. And you will because this exercise is really quite silly. Except it’s not. Say Eeeeeeeeee now. You might feel tingling right below your ear, in the back of your jaw. You’re also releasing happy hormones, and that is just plain good for you. If you have kids – even teens – it will make them laugh and that’s always a positive.
  3. When someone in your family does something annoying, instead of immediately reacting or yelling, take a breath. A long deep one. Perhaps you need two. Then respond. You’ve collected your thoughts and stopped a possible argument before it happens. If you need more time, leave the room and come back when you are calmer.
  4. Make a list of home projects, hobbies, games, recipes you would like to try – anything that takes up time. Most of us never have enough time to get to the little extras that life offers. But now you do. Want some inspiration? Check out Marie Kondo on YouTube for how-tos of organizing your drawers and closets. Life changing!

But don’t stop there. Take up knitting. Do a puzzle. Read a book. Exercise with an online class; they’re all over the place and many are free.

One factoid to keep in mind: Isaac Newton was forced to work from home during the Bubonic plague, which turned out to be his most productive time. It was then that he developed his theories of calculus, optics and gravity.

So again, we ask: What color crayons will you use to paint your daily life?