Resources for Staying Home
With Oregon, and much of our country, on Stay Home orders to flatten the curve of the new coronavirus and COVID-19, we’re all trying to figure out how to live life and stay healthy—physically and emotionally—amidst a pandemic.
As we learn first hand what terms like quarantine and self-isolation mean, our lives and the news are changing daily, and we are called to hold the tension of opposites: opening ourselves to the welcome beauty of Spring and protecting ourselves by instinctually withdrawing in fear and suspicion provoked by the restrictions and precautions. How do we maintain our sense of connection and community, while staying physically separate? How can we utilize the best of social media and virtual tools to keep us connected and grounded, while preventing the stress and anxiety of too much news or screen time? How can we recognize the privilege we have to consider these very things while also feeling the difficulty and challenge of the experience. It’s all true; it’s both/and, not either/or.
What if we begin each day by checking in with ourselves? Asking questions: “How can I show up today for what is happening, for what I need to tend, and how can I stay with myself? What do I need to feel safe? to feel connected? to be nourished? to be creative? And how can I manage these things while I stay safely at home? The answers may change day to day, or they may stay the same. Can you begin again each day and approach yourself and these questions with openness, curiosity, and receptivity to your responses?
Toward that goal of openness, curiosity, and receptivity, I’ve been compiling resources to support, inspire, and engage you during these quiet days and weeks at home. Since the CDC, WHO, and our local health authorities are the best sources for science and medical recommendations, I’ll leave that to them and focus on well-being and mental health. Seems appropriate, right?
The following posts each have a theme, an offering of support during these difficult times. My goal is to bring together a curated collection of the many wonderful resources others are offering, combined with beautiful images, and a few of my own suggestions to support your ongoing wellbeing. I am moved by the generosity of so many; it feels like a grand ongoing potluck feast—everyone brings their favorite dish to share. The menu/list will grow and change as time goes on.
At the end of the day, and any time you need a bit of reassurance, remember, we are in this together, and together we’ll make it through.
Take care and be well.