A few Sundays ago, Tony and I had a bad mood day. I’d had a terrible dream the night before, waking up with this awful feeling I couldn’t shake. And, as we work from home, we hadn’t left the house in too many days to count. We wanted to get out and do something—only because of the Pandemic and cold winter weather, our options were basically shopping, or shopping.

Whenever we used to feel like we needed a break from life, pre-pandemic, we always hit the road. 

Though we knew our dilemma was basically champaign problems, we felt so discouraged and frustrated. Whenever we used to feel like we needed a break from life, pre-pandemic, we always hit the road. We’d pack a lunch, and drive to a nearby city to explore. Maybe we’d even stay the night.

Getting away for a day or weekend, always felt incredibly therapeutic for us. Detaching from any stresses we had at home helped us return to them with a better mindset. Seeing or learning new things fed us creatively. And shared experiences always brought us closer together.

Only now, recreational travel looks so different. Our options are limited. And we don’t know how long this will last. 

But travel isn’t the only physical and emotional outlet many of us have lost due to social distancing. In many areas, our gyms have shut down, our bars or restaurants where we used to meet friends have limited seating, and weekly or monthly events have been cancelled. Even seeing a friend for coffee has become more tricky. And I don’t know if we fully realize the negative impact all of this is having on us.

If we’ve taken away something that has positively fed us, we need to be paying attention to how we’re feeding that need now.

Don’t get me wrong, I feel the social distancing measures in place are necessary. Only, if we’ve taken away something that has positively fed us, we need to be paying attention to how we’re feeding that need now. In other words, what are we replacing travel, social meetups, and regular exercise with—if the way we used to do them are no longer possible?

As it is January, it is the time where many of us have, at the very least, contemplated making a change to our diet. Perhaps we’ve considered cutting out carbs, or limiting sugar. Maybe we’ve gone Keto, Paleo, or Vegan. But a few weeks ago I saw a quote by Dr. Caroline Leaf that made me think differently about how we define our “diets.” She said,

“Your diet includes everything you consume and spend energy on, not just food. It includes who you spend time with, what you read and listen to, what you watch, and most importantly what thoughts you allow.”

With so many of us feeling disconnected from friends or coworkers, and with everything that is going on in our world right now—we need to pay attention to what we’re feeding (or not feeding) our minds and souls this season. Our culture may tell us the most important thing for us to focus on is what we feed our body. But it’s our minds and souls that make those decisions. If we don’t feed them well, how can we expect ourselves to make healthy decisions when it comes to food?

Our culture may tell us the most important thing for us to focus on is what we feed our body. But it’s our minds and souls that make those decisions. If we don’t feed them well, how can we expect ourselves to make healthy decisions when it comes to food?

That Sunday, Tony and I ended up perusing a few Antique stores ( a new interest for us since buying our house). But that day definitely woke me up to our need to find a new outlet. We’re already working on planning a virtual game night with our friends. We’ve been streaming workout videos at home. But now we need to find something that will help get us out of the house and into a new and healthier headspace.

What about you, what are you missing from your pre-pandemic life?

What activities do you need new pandemic versions of, for this season?

Wishing you had started 2021 with more focus, but feeling like it’s too late to make any changes? It’s not! Sign up for my email list and get my FREE Start Here 2021—a guide to help you find focus and strength for the New Year. 

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash