Hello from on top of the mountain and happy first day of spring! Doesn’t really look like spring out there does it? I hope everyone is doing well during this strange and difficult time. For those of you that are extroverts and not accustomed to this way of life I hope you are finding an outlet to keep your mind and body busy. I feel for those that are in smaller homes or apartments without land, you all have the most difficult situation. And especially those that have been forced to leave work and were living pay check to paycheck.

Most of society has not prepared for a situation such as this. Waking up each day to a new restriction and less supplies than the day prior. How do you stay sane in a situation such as this? Remain calm, we all need to stick together and nurture one another. We can not let the crazy and insecurity get to us. Even if it just means simply checking in on those you can not be physically near. Every little connection counts in these frightening times.

Below are a few tricks to keep your sanity. When weather has been bad enough to keep me home bound these are a few items that have helped me thrive during times of cabin fever.

1. Create interesting foodsDo not let your taste buds become bored. If your food is the same day in and day out you can lose the desire to eat which compromises your immune system.
   

   
2. Interact with your animals.Do you have pets? If so this is a great time to sit back and just watch them interact or even engage in play with them. Let the animals be your new form of tv. Get outside and laugh if you are able to with them!
3.  Practice gardening.If the weather outside is still not ideal, you can grow things in your window sill. Don’t have seeds? No problem! I have several items that came from my last visit to the grocery store like celery ends, romaine lettuce bottoms and potatoes sprouting in glasses of water. Once weather is nice enough I will get them potted up and harden them off to be planted in the garden. It’s amazing how a little bit of greenery can brighten your day.
   

   
4.  Organize. Women have a natural response to when things outside of their control start to cause unrest, organizing and cleaning helps relieve their sense of no control. I like to go through my closet and drawers regularly to clean out clutter and items I do not use. Once you have organized even just one drawer you will feel much more at peace.
5.  Star gaze and reach for the stars!Make plans for the future. Even though tomorrow is not guaranteed you can still dream big. Don’t let fear handicap you. Use a journal to make small goals for yourself to achieve that dream. Our dream is to build a green house. In order to do that I have small step by step plans to get to the big picture. Dreaming gives you a sense of hope and in these trying times hope is going to keep you healthy.
6. Pamper yourself.Take time to take care of yourself. That can be as simple as trimming your finger and toe nails or even snipping off your split ends. Don’t let this time of uncertainty let you lose sight of how to take care of yourself and your loved ones. Spare a little time to groom one another and share the sense of well being.
7. CreativityDon’t lose sight of your creative side. If you enjoy painting, writing or spinning and weaving like myself make sure you give yourself the freedom to explore your craft. This time is the perfect time to try new techniques and have a little fun with it. If you can’t afford craft supplies try and look around in what you already have or things you can make from nature.
   

   
8.  Work from homeSome of you may have been forced to leave your jobs. If that is the case and you are unsure of how to pay don’t lose hope yet. There are many ways to make money online. Become a virtual assistant, influencer or vlogger. Do you have a certain talent that you can teach others? Then charge for an online class! I’m lucky enough to be able to make a small profit from my blog as well as being a virtual assistant from home. I work enough hours to pay the bills and the rest of my time I focus on building my home based business. There is something out there for everyone. Stay calm and focus on your strengths.
9.  FermentLearn to ferment your own foods and beverages. Most of the time when a food ferments it actually increases the nutritional value. You can also make your own wines this way. For those of us that like a special beverage every now and then this might be just the ticket!
10.  And last but not least, prepare for the worstWhen we think about what the worse case scenario is we can better plan for if / when it all really hits the fan. When I get snowed in I have to think about resources running out and one of those being water. Always have a back up plan for each worse case scenario and the more prepared you are the more relief you will feel. Don’t let the worse case scenario sneak up on you and all will be well!

How are you coping? What tips and tricks have you learned in the past week for being self isolated? Much love to you all during these uncertain times. Stay healthy my friends.