Read: Elephant’s Continually-updating Coronavirus Diary. ~ Waylon

I took a leap three years ago.

I was homebound after breaking my ankle in a soccer game, and I hit submit on my first ever article to Elephant Journal. I’d been reading Elephant for years, and I finally decided I would stop sitting in self-pity at home and at least make something good come out of it.

I wrote about my ankle and the shift in perspective I was experiencing as I was unable to do the things I normally do.

Now, during this time with the Coronavirus, I find myself in a similar position. We all are. We are unable to go about our daily routines, some of us are more quarantined than others, but all the same, we have to adjust to a new normal.

Like many others, I’m thinking about how this time can be used as an opportunity. An opportunity to consciously to go within. Reflect. Heal.

But it’s also more than that—I don’t want this discovery period to end once the social distancing ends. Even after only a few days of being at home, I’ve remembered how much I value alone time, and I’ve realized that these things are really what breathe life into me.

If you’re an artist, or just a human, you might realize these are the things that breathe life into you, too:

Write. Journal. Read through old journals and remember where you were times before this. Read, paint, sketch. Go through old photographs, send them to friends and family. Watch TV, a new documentary, stand-up comedy to get your mind off things. Move. In any way you can. Do at-home yoga or full-body workout videos, stretch. Dance. Call a good friend, reach out to people online, find an anonymous forum for mental health. Try new kinds of tea on their own or with organic honey or agave. Try to avoid drinking wine. Make delicious meals, try a new recipe, make a vegan recipe. Listen to music while you cook. Lay on the floor and listen to music. Go for a walk if you get stir crazy, but avoid busy spaces. Meditate. Listen to a podcast. Self-care with face masks and do your own nails. Take a bath or a shower but not too long because we still need to think about climate change. Light a scented candle or incense. Go to bed early. Sleep. Sleep in some more. Go inward. Write about it.

~

Inspired by a friend’s Instagram post. 

When this is all over, I want to think about the ways I can find healing both internally and collectively. I want to use this time to better my life and the world once this immediate outbreak has stopped spreading.

Although I am looking forward to this time alone, there is also a lot of fear. What will come up? What have I been avoiding?

If you’re struggling with mental health, do not self-isolate emotionally. Talk to someone. Book a therapy appointment online via Skype or phone.

This social distancing period is likely to go beyond just two weeks—and the repercussions of that are serious and we can take action before we get to a point that’s really bad. Set some plans in place for emergency contacts. And remember, even though you may be physically on your own—you are not alone.

What are some things you’re going to do during this time and after?

~

Take your leap. Submit to Elephant here. 

~

Relephant: