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Flourish While Quarantined?

Let’s face it, being stuck in our homes for the next several weeks because of coronavirus is not going to be easy. We don’t just want to cope during this time and leave our homes at the end of two months full of cabin fever and swear it was the worst time of our lives. With a little bit of conscious investment and a lot of fun, we can flourish while quarantined! Here is a list of some practical ways you and your family can enjoy this time of rest and take advantage of the situation.

Cultivate Your Emotional Health

1. Take some time to journal. Step out of your life and reflect. Take these evenings at home captive as you write out what God is doing in your life during this time.
2. Make time for unscheduled creativity. Turn off social media and entertainment and give yourself and your kids time to be creative. Get the legos out! Get the paints out! Make playdough and mud pies! Kids need time for unfettered creativity so their minds can grow in imagination and new ideas. Start up one of your own hobbies again. Maybe now is the time to learn to play that instrument you have always been wanting to learn. Maybe you will finally get around to learning how to sketch. Be creative and take the time you need to do it.
3. Read books that nourish your heart and mind. Reading is a wonderful way to open up our worlds. Whether you choose non-fiction or fiction, every book will add to your life. Bring out new books for you kids, and better yet, read a classic book with your kids aloud.
4. Declutter. Complete house projects. Give stuff away. We are stepping into the spring, so what better time to clean house! Clean out those empty shelves and complete the Honey-do list. Give away the things you don’t need, and refresh your house and mind with simplicity.

Cultivate Your Physical Health

1. Start a new exercise routine. We all tried that New Year’s resolution to get more fit, but for most of it, it didn’t stick. Maybe now is your chance to workout, clean up our diet, and get back into healthy routines.
2. Rest and sleep. What better time to rest and refresh ourselves? Most Americans barely sleep 6.8 hours a night! Now we can take the time to get the sleep our culture sorely lacks.
3. Take time to prepare your food. Nothing is more exciting than learning a new recipe and eating something you made with your own hands. Pull out recipe books and teach your kids how to cook!
4. Go to the great outdoors! Go for walks in your neighborhood, plan hikes, and ride bikes! No one told us we couldn’t be outside, so take advantage of it and get some fresh air!

Cultivate Your Spiritual Health

1. Spend time reading and studying God’s Word. Everyone tries to make time for Bible reading, what better time to do it? Pick up on that book of the Bible you have been studying, or memorize scripture.
2. Pray. Consider this season as a time to fast and pray for your life, family, church and city. Our nation and our cities need prayer right now in the midst of an unstable economy, and sickness. Teach your kids to pray for others during this time, and encourage them to see how God answers prayer when we call out to him.
3. Review your personal life goals. Go back through the journey of your life and create an identity statement for your life. Reorient and recalibrate your mind and heart. You may find that the next several weeks will drastically change how you see your life.
4. Take up a new spiritual discipline. Meditation, Lectio Divina, fasting and simplicity are all forms of spiritual disciplines that will change your life and habits if you let them.

Cultivate Relational Health

1. Connect with your family and friends. Though we are encouraged to avoid those who are vulnerable, this is a great opportunity to spend time with those who you need to reconnect with. Make phone calls, FaceTime calls, email, or even write a letter! Remember, others need to flourish while quarantined as well.
2. Spend extra time with your family. Have meaningful discussions with your spouse and kids. This is a great time to give your energy and support to them as much as you can.
3. Find ways to serve and give to those in need, especially the elderly and vulnerable. Take care of those who are quarantined and reach out to your neighbors. Find people who need help in this time and find a way to support them as much as you are able.
4. Reconcile relationships. If you have experienced conflict or tension with someone else, do what you can to reconcile the relationship. Being in a hard emotional and economic situation makes people rethink their relationships, and it is a good time for you to evaluate your relationships as well.

You Can Flourish While Quarantined

Despite the difficulty of the times we are walking in, we can use this time of rest to reevaluate and thrive! If you have ideas, share them with others and support their growth and refreshment in this time. Together, with a little bit of help, we can all flourish while quarantined. Have a lovely next few weeks!