compiled from blog posts by Dana Costa
In the last two months our world has changed tremendously. Sixty days ago, most of us could not have imagined that our days would be filled with working from home, educating our children, and learning new phrases like “social distancing” and “stay-at-home orders.” We have also learned the real meaning of the word essential. Essential means the front-line healthcare workers who are saving lives under extraordinary circumstances; it means the utility companies, truck drivers, delivery personnel, sanitation workers who keep us connect and fed and awash in stitching materials from our favorite LNS; essential means the grocery store workers who deal with toilet paper hoarders, handle dirty money, and restock the shelves so we can keep feeding our families; essential means quality time spent with people you love, and doing what you can to keep them safe and healthy. Most days, the rest of it doesn’t seem to matter as much as it did before. But that doesn’t make it easy—physically or emotionally. In five consecutive issues of StitchLife’s weekly e-newsletter, I put together Stay-at-Home Survival Tips, outlining how to cope, stay active, and help your family, your pets, and your neighbors. If you missed all five articles, check out the StitchLife blog at www.stitchlifemag.com/stories, or continue reading for a summary. Stay Active Go outside—for a walk, start a garden, play with your dog in the yard. Get that vitamin D and get off the couch for a while. 18
StitchLife Magazine
Give your home some TLC—clean out closets, wash those windows, move furniture around for a new perspective. Whatever it is, turn off the TV, turn on some music, and move around. Get moving—find a great exercise program online, dance around your house to a guilty pleasure movie (may I suggest Mama Mia!), build a family obstacle course and have a Ninja Warrior competition...just put the phone down, walk away from your computer, and get that heart rate up! Take Care of You I’m a huge fan of the airplane safety information that instructs you to put on your own oxygen mask before helping others. Bottom line: You can’t help others if you aren’t taking care of yourself. The National Institutes of Health put together a helpful reminder to cope during this incredibly stressful time. If you need more help than just a few infographics, please find someone to talk to: a trusted friend, a professional therapist, a medical doctor, or spiritual advisor. Don’t bottle up your emotions. It’s OK to feel sadness, frustration, dispair...just try not to let those feelings control you. Make the Most of Family Time Families around the world are trying to figure out how to balance their homes being offices, schools, movie theaters, restaurants, dog parks, houses, and sometimes even doctors’ offices. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed, frustrated, and even annoyed.
