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WHEN NOTHING IS SURE, EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE

We’re all stuck at home, feeling like this quarantine will last forever! It won’t last forever, but it’s not a bad idea to look at the upside of everyone staying home, especially since we have no choice. I know we all want to get back to normal, some people want to look for new jobs, and get their lives back on track, but it never hurts to look at the positive in any situation. Our greatest challenges can bring our greatest changes for good. This crisis will change the way we think as individuals, but also collectively as a society and even though some things are collapsing, it will make way for other things to rise. I am in no way making light of the struggles of the people who have been hit the hardest in this situation, I am however, pointing out that there is good that can and, I believe will, come of this! Just a little food for thought…

Here are some ways to put a positive spin on the current situation.

You are (probably) Saving Money. I know for sure that not going out is saving us money. Even though I am doing some shopping online and definitely spending more on groceries because Baldy and my daughter are home all the time, not going out is still saving us money. We are trying to support local restaurants and businesses the best way we can, because this crisis is disastrous for many small business. However, looking at the bright side and into the future, maybe we will all realize that we can live well with less.

This Crisis is Giving Our Planet a Chance to Reset. Because tourism is non existent right now, and people aren’t driving as much and hardly flying anywhere, carbon emissions are way down. An article in Forbes points out that 77,000 lives were saved in the China quarantined areas because of reduced pollution. That’s huge and scary at the same time. Moments of crisis can help us to take a look at our priorities and keep us focused on family, friends and helping our communities. The quote below is from a BBC article and very interesting…

“We know from social science research that interventions are more effective if they take place during moments of change.

A 2018 study led by Corinne Moser at Zurich University of Applied Sciences in Switzerland found that when people were unable to drive and given free e-bike access instead, they drove much less when they eventually got their car back. While a study in 2001 led by Satoshi Fujii at Kyoto University in Japan found that when a motorway closed, forcing drivers to use public transit, the same thing happened – when the road reopened, people who had formerly been committed drivers travelled by public transport more frequently.”

You Can Enjoy Time With Your Children….Even Your Adult Children. My daughter Rebecca has been home for several weeks now and it’s been so wonderful to spend time with her. I know it may be hard for some to work with young children at home, but this is an opportunity to get to know your children and they will probably remember this as a wonderful time. My grandsons have both parents home 24/7 and I know they’re loving it because it’s a treat for them. Try to look at this as a positive and focus on spending as much quality time with your children as possible because this opportunity may never come again.

You Can Take the Time to Cherish Older People in Our Community.  My mother is in memory care and I haven’t been able to see her for almost a month. It’s made me realize how much I enjoy going over to visit and spend time with her. Even though you may not be able to visit older people in the community, you can give them a call or send a card to let them know you’re thinking of them.

You Can Get Creative in the Kitchen. I haven’t cooked so much since my girls all lived at home. There have been nights when we’ve gotten takeout from a local restaurant and part of the reason for that is we want to support them, but I’ve made dinner most nights. I’ve tried new recipes and also made recipes that I used to cook all the time. Why not make healthy delicious food and take the time to sit down with family and enjoy it. Even if it’s just a pot of beans and rice, it’s healthy and worth enjoying. Check out the Food
& Drink section on Crazy Blonde Life for ideas on things to cook.

You Have Time to Declutter and Organize.  I’m working on this a little at a time, because I’m still blogging and working from home and that hasn’t changed, but I feel like it’s a great time to take stock and donate things I no longer use and clear out .

You Can Take Time to Focus on Yourself. I’m focusing on learning more about photography, which is something I’ve been wanting to do for a while now. Also, I’m really throwing myself into working to make my business better and learn more about social media. This is the perfect time to reflect take care of yourself.

My meditation has become more important than ever and I’m getting creative with my workouts. I recently purchased these exercise bands and I’m planning to share a video on YouTube soon to show you a great workout that’s easy and effective.

You Have Time to Repair Your Home and Work in the Garden. I’ve been working in my yard, planting flowers and getting everything looking pretty as often as I can. I’m also noticing things that need fixing and redoing that I never noticed before because I wasn’t here to notice. I’ve cleaned outdoor cushions and rearranged furniture. Small changes make you feel so accomplished!

Working Remotely May Be a Permanent Possibility That’s Good For Employers and Employees - It’s possible that companies will realize that realize that it’s more cost effective to have some employees work from home. “When a crisis like the coronavirus temporarily forces companies into remote work, it tends to show them that it can be done successfully, but it can also demonstrate the benefits beyond disaster preparedness.” This article in the Chicago Tribune points out the pros and cons. In the future, this could cut down on emissions because people are driving less and traveling less.

You Have Time to Rethink Your Life - The Coronavirus is something that no one expected and it has changed what we thought was “normal” for forever. This is an opportunity to step back and take a look at how your life is going and make changes for the better. Keep your eyes open for the positive things that can come out of this crisis.

Have I left anything out…how are you looking at this time in a positive way?

On another positive note…there are so many sales going on right now and I thought I would share some of my picks with you. Nordstrom is having a fabulous spring sale, Revolve is offering 20% off site wide with Code SPRING20, Express is offering 20 - 60% off everything site wide and Williams Sonoma is having a sale on spring cookware. Shop some of my favorites below!