Life in the Time of Coronavirus

As I sit here on a quiet Sunday morning and I think about the past few weeks, I cannot believe how much life has changed. If you had told me six weeks ago that a virus would sweep the entire globe, shut everything down and we would be on a “shelter in place” order from the government, I probably would have thought you were crazy. Well…here we are today.

I’m not going to lie, this has been a stressful time and it takes daily work for me to stay in the present moment and not get swept up into the news and the ruminating about what the future may look like. I am actively working on this daily. I am also boosting my immune system daily.

But, there is a silver lining to all of this and I am trying to focus on that daily. I have had so much quality family time and I love it (although we have our moments where I need to give myself a time-out for some space). We are cooking together, enjoying long leisurely meals with great conversation, playing games, watching movies, cleaning and even working out together. I know this is the family time my kids will never forget.

I have also been connecting with friends and family quite a bit over Zoom and Facetime. I seem to have more time for long conversations. This has been so wonderful.

We also brought a new puppy, Lila Rose, into our lives. She has been a wonderful joy and distraction and the training has been fairly easy with so many available people in the house to help with her.

One of the hardest adjustments for me has been trying to find the new normal. I am usually a very structured person and everyone in my house has a schedule. During this time, all bets are off. The kids are sleeping late, I may not start my workout until 5 PM and we are having later dinners and evenings. I actually think it has been good for me to have to adjust to this flexibility and force myself to be more “go with the flow.” I have also discovered that getting up early in the morning with Lila allows me a few hours of the alone time that I need to set myself up for success the rest of the day.

Here is what I am doing to stay sane and healthy during this challenging time:

1) Meditation – I am giving myself five minutes each morning and evening. It is short and helpful. I do deep breathing and focus on staying present and reducing my stress. There are a few free meditations on my Art of Living Well Podcast Facebook Page so go check it out.

2) Movement – I am moving my body daily. There have been a bunch of days where I have not felt motivated and I still did it and felt so much better afterward. I have been walking outdoors, riding my Peloton, doing many free online workouts including dance classes, and attempting to strength train with the resources that I have. I have been joined by my kids several times which makes it more fun as we blast music together.

3) Healthy eating – I am still drinking a smoothie every morning with my daily nutritional support protein powder. I also make sure to eat a rainbow of veggies daily and I am trying to limit my processed food intake. I have to admit, this has been a bit harder than usual and I have been eating more chocolate lately. I am looking forward to starting my 7 Day Detox on April 5th (see below).

4) Supplements – I am taking vitamin c, vitamin d, zinc, omegas, and a probiotic in addition to my daily nutritional support. All of these supplements are to boost my immune system. I would love to help you figure out what supplements you need to take. Please reach out to me.

5) Reduce stress – In addition to my meditation, I am limiting my news intake. I have noticed that the more I read the news, the more stress I feel. I try to get up to date in the morning and then I try to avoid it as much as possible for the rest of the day. It is also important for me to get outside in the fresh air every day. My puppy has helped me do this (even in the pouring rain).

6) Hot herbal tea and water – This may seem strange, but a hot cup of tea when I wake up in the morning and after dinner is so calming and delicious, I have come to crave it. My favorite is Rishi Turmeric Ginger Tea. I am also drinking tons of water (in my new favorite water bottle). Remember, try to drink half your body weight in ounces.

7) Sleep – Even though I have a new puppy and our schedule at home is very off, I am still trying hard to get in my daily ZZZZZ’s. I am grumpy and don’t feel up to par without my sleep. Sleep also keeps your body and mind healthy. Check out one of my older blog posts on why you should make sleep a priority.

You can listen to Marnie’s Podcast: The Art of Living Well, she is also seeing clients through her Zenful Life Coaching business. And, she is offering a 7-Liver Detox Program, if interested.