Take the Best and Leave the Rest

As people start to venture outside of the house, restaurants and bars reopen, and states loosen their social distancing rules, we begin our slow process of returning to our old life. But what if you don’t want to? I want to be social again, but, I also want to bring the good things from this crazy time forward into my new life.

Look at Things Differently

I noticed many things that I hadn’t before. There is so much wildlife in our backyard. Karl and I learned about different birds that hang out in our bushes, discovered two very different nests, and got to know the local bird sounds. I learned that Robins have beautiful sing-songy calls, while Spotted Towhees have a trill. Karl and I watched eggs hatch and birds start their new lives. We also saw remnants of robin eggs strewn on the ground. Another animal’s breakfast. This has made me think about the circle of life, not only for animals but for humans. Am I living to my full potential? Am I making the most of the time I have?

Unleash Creativity

I can’t believe all the funny and wonderfully entertaining COVID-19-inspired videos and memes there are. I have to say, we’ve definitely found a lot of things to laugh about during this uncertain, stressful time. Like many people, Karl and I have become creative in the kitchen. We’ve come up with many with gourmet-style meals using simple ingredients. Before March, we had a handful of go-to recipes that were easy to throw together, especially if we were tired from work. Now, we have a huge repertoire of recipes that we’ve tried and we are still coming up with new meal ideas. All Keto of course! I believe I’ve perfected Keto buns and Karl has taken chicken wings to new delicious heights. Last week, we ventured out to a restaurant for the first time since the beginning of March and we were quite disappointed. It turns out that the food we’ve been making at home is much more tasty, inventive, and enjoyable.

Chill Out

One friend told me that with the kids being home and her having to work from home, she was forced to simplify her family’s life. Previously, she and her husband rushed around driving the kids to and from different activities and had to tag-team to get everything done. Today, they spend more time together as a family and she feels she has more balance in her life and more time to rest and recharge. For me, being at home has meant that I’ve been reading more, one of my favorite escapes. I love sinking into a thick and juicy book. Karl and I have also connected with our yoga instructor in Mexico, Michelle LeHegarate, who we met last year while on vacation. Not only does she lead us in stretching, meditating, and breathing deeply, she reminds us of carefree, sun-filled days drinking margaritas on the beach.

Deepen your Knowledge

In trying to make life as normal as possible while being cooped up, many people took to learning new skills. Karl and I upped our Spanish by doing more, or should I say playing more, Duo Lingo. Karl found time to play more guitar and reinstated his guitar lessons online and my weekly in-person Spanish lessons morphed into virtual lessons. I’m inspired by friends and family building decks and home bars, painting the insides of trailers, cooking their way through different counties, and venturing out and trying new outdoor activities like paddle boarding or riding motorized skateboards. Carving out time to learn is definitely time well spent!

Connect with Loved Ones

And of course, all the happy hours with different groups of friends have been wonderful. We now meet on a regular basis with several different groups of friends, including friends from high school! Why didn’t we do this before? 

How has your life changed over these last few months? What changes have you made that you want to hang onto as life returns to normal? Whatever you do, carve out a little time to pursue your passions. And if you don’t know what they are, then make finding out the first thing you do during the next quarantine.

Live fully!