HOW TO COMBAT CORONAVIRUS #STAYATHOME BOREDOM: Life Changing ideas

Hello! People of the world

As a Certified Professional Life Coach, I believe its beneficial to share some soul lifting information in this gloomy season.

We are currently facing distressing times and the entire globe is tackling one singular problem that is not war or ethnic crisis or climate change or nuclear weapons. The world unites in its fight against the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic and its ravaging effects.

Simple instructions for tackling the spread of Coronavirus have been issued by the World Health Organization such as: Wash your hand regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (long enough to recite the full Happy Birthday to you song); maintain social distancing of about 2 meters, and ultimately #stayathome to avoid further spread of corona virus.

The Coronavirus #stayathomeorder is very critical because the virus does not move on its own; people carry the virus and move it around. Hence, if individuals obey the #stayathomeorder by various governments of the world, perhaps the spread of the virus will subside and our health care systems will not be overburdened.

The real essence of this post is that the internet is awash with complaints of boredom due to the coronavirus #staythomeorder. Folks are exhausted of reading, netflixing, watching documentaries, surfing the internet, indulging their tech gadgets, binge eating etc. There is a general outcry of boredom.

The truth is that many of the things we have been doing during #stayathomeorder either feed our fears for coronavirus or drain us emotionally and mentally hence the exasperation. IT IS TIME TO TRY SOMETHING ELSE THAT WILL NOT ONLY BOOST YOU EMOTIONALLY AND IMPROVE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH, BUT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE COMPLETELY.

Let’s walk through the tips together…

1)          Write a Letter to your past self

A wise saying expresses that with age comes experience and maturity. A lot of us have been through situations, challenges, fought addictions, hit rock bottom, gone through hell and YET WE SURVIVED. There are things you know now that you wish you had known and would have helped you live an easier life. Writing a letter to your past self is a means of admonishing who you were with wisdom gained by whom you are now. It also offers you an opportunity to re-live those experiences and be grateful that you weathered the storms and you are in a better place. It can also serve as a legacy document to pass on to the next generation in memory of your existence.

Furthermore, while reflecting on the letter content to write to your past self, you will suddenly realize that you have overcome many challenging events in your life. This will surely give you courage to believe that you will survive the Coronavirus pandemic unhurt. Also if your life has witnessed interesting experiences, this letter may inspire you further to write and publish your memoirs such that other can learn from your experiences.

2)          Start a Gratitude Journal

This point links closely to the first idea because it also requires reflecting and writing. We are usually very busy and consumed with life that we fail to observe and take note of the little and big things that make our lives worthwhile of which we should be grateful. If you already have a Gratitude journal, you can read it at these times and reflect on how meaningful and blessed your life has been. If there are people in that journal who provoked the events that you are grateful for, please do well to call and check on them at this time or pray for them to stay safe. You can also add new gratitude points like having a home to #stayathome and food supplies to keep you nourished during the period. Many people in the world are in need of these basic things you enjoy.

If you don’t have a Gratitude Journal, now is the time to start one. Get any writing pad and a pen, sit at a quiet place, and start reflecting on the things that have happened in your life that you are grateful for. Remember that time you still got the job after you attended an interview you performed terribly; write it down. Remember when a stranger was kind to you on a stressful day and you felt inner joy and peace; write it down. Remember when your efforts were recognized and commended and you felt very good; write it down. Write down everything that you can remember that ever happened to you that made you happy and grateful. Put down the date and narrate the event.

Writing a Gratitude Journal takes you to your happy places and immerses you in a sphere of inner joy and peace. You'll suddenly see the beauty in the world and a reason to live and overcome Coronavirus. Your faith gets a boost.

3)           Practice Forgiveness

This point may be a bit controversial but it is worth giving a trial. A lot of us are carrying loads of bitterness and pain that is going to kill us faster than Coronavirus. Yes, you have been mistreated, hurt, and pained and you maybe entitled to those sour feelings but sincerely, it is time to forgive and let go.

Bitterness is like swallowing a poisonous pill and expecting the other person who hurt you to die. Forgiveness does not also justify the wrong but it helps you heal your heart and mind. Let go of the Toxic feelings and forgive that person. If you are up to the task, then you can call the person(s) and speak to them about how they hurt you and express your decision to forgive them.

Otherwise, practically think of people who have hurt you in the past and present, write down their names one after the other. Then take each name and say e.g

 “Leticia! I forgive you for ……….[mention the things the person did that upset you]. I release you from the bitter places in my heart and I fill that space with joy and peace. [add your own words too]

This exercise will make your emotional burdens lighter and lay to rest those grudges and misgivings as declarations are words in action. If you fail to perform this exercise, your mind may become the devil’s workshop for engineering evil retaliations. Please do the right thing.

4)                          Engage in DIY Craft

This great pastime challenges the creative genius in you. The basic idea is to re-purpose items that may ordinary be due for disposal or disused. E.g. you can convert your old socks to a bedroom decorative item or convert jars or tin cans to decorative flower vases and stationary/pencil holders. Depending on how creative you are. You can achieve many DIY craft items.

I must confess that DIY Craft is my favourite past time as I have several decorations that I was inspired to create. See below

The DIY craft in the first picture was made out of the cardboard paper of an old greeting card and cotton fabrics. The DIY craft in the second picture was made with a French chocolate box and the glitters were pulled from an old birthday card.

Look around you and find items you can convert to DIY Craft. Let your creativity and imagination guide you.

5)          Rearrange you wardrobe and sort out items you no longer use.

Many of us are victims of wardrobe clutter. We have clothes and personal effects everywhere and we even lack sufficient space to contain all those stuffs. This is the best time to rearrange that wardrobe and restore sanity to it. In the course of the wardrobe overhaul, you may find items that may no longer fit your style. You need to set them apart to create room for other trendy pieces. The rule of thumb is that if you have not worn or used a particular item whether clothes or shoes in 6 months, then that item is probably due for disuse. Many people need giveaways; indigent persons, charity organizations, or even your siblings and friends. Those items you seem not to need any longer can bring joy to someone else's life. There is also that sense of satisfaction when you give someone your personal effects and they use it and cherish it.

6) Update and modernize your CV or develop that Business concept

Your CV is the picture of you employers see before you even get a chance to make a first impression, so ensure your CV portrays an excellent picture of you. A lot of us have recently attended trainings, seminars, and conferences in our areas of discipline and gained new skills or proficiency certificates. You need to update that CV will the new competencies so that you are ready to apply for that job opening once it is announced. The coronavirus has led to many job losses and predictions of a global economic recession are imminent. Hence, the struggle for employment post-coronavirus will be massive. Maximize the coronavirus #stayathomeorder to craft an excellent CV in preparation for the next job opportunity. The style of the CV should also be modern and accessible.

Also certain individuals have been thinking about starting a business and the business idea has been hovering in your minds but they yet to conceptualize it. Now is the time to sit and write down the vision and make it plain. Writing down the business idea is a step of faith geared towards actualizing the dream of being an entrepreneur. When penning down your business idea; consider the types of businesses and services that will thrive post coronavirus. Those sectors will be a gold mine after the pandemic, so consider launching into those sectors. The coronavirus #stayathomeorder is the incubation period you need to conceptualize your ideas in preparation for entrepreneurship launch after the pandemic is over. So get busy...

7) Meditate on the vanity of life

The coronavirus pandemic means different things to different people; for some it’s a bio-weapon engineered by a certain Republic to gain world power, others say it’s the devil’s handiwork, some say its mother earth’s way of revolting against her degradation by man. The truth is that the coronavirus pandemic is a wake-up call to humanity that everything we are busy pursuing in this life are futile and insignificant.

If the whole world can come to a standstill, economies crippled, stock markets volatile, travel and tourism halted, nations compulsorily shutdown, and there is panic to purchase and store household supplies. People who live in mansions are confined to one isolation room, wealthy people affected by the coronavirus cannot purchase good health. All these occurrences just because of one tiny protein virus spreading like wild fire. Then imagine how the actual end of the world will be. This is a reality check because the end will be worse than what we are experiencing. The coronavirus is a rehearsal to prepare humanity for the end of time.

Now that you have seen the rehearsal, you need to change your character so that you can align your life with God’s script.

As you practice social distancing, please draw close to the Supreme God who is able to save you. The #stayathomeorder can be your chance to make a change and be a transformed person. Surrender to the Creator of the whole world and obtain salvation in Christ Jesus. God is in control #HeHasgottheWholeWorldinHisHands

These ideas when executed intentionally will add value to your life and well being. I hope you noticed that you do not need any technology tools to exercise the above ideas because tech tools like mobile phones and computing devices have a way of distracting you from your set goals. Hence the less distracted you are, the more time to achieve meaningful results.

Ultimately stay safe, wash your hands regularly, eat healthy and pray for the pandemic to pass soon enough.