Looking inwards and connecting with oneself as well as maintaining social and familial connections was also an important coping practice. Self connection was maintained through journaling and other self-reflective activities, meditating, and engaging in faith communities. Other connections were cultivated or maintained through virtual modalities or through helping others.
Snail mail: Sending (and receiving) cards has been a critical step to my mental health. I added, "send a card" to my daily reminders list, as well. I have received some amazing cards from loved ones, and am frequently revisiting them as a reminder of love and support. Walking to the mailbox has been a highlight of my day, as well.
My granddaughter enjoying a drive by birthday party: Recently my granddaughter celebrated her 4th birthday and she had friends drop by. I was there to share in the excitement. Practicing social distancing was done and lots of happiness prevailed. We plan to do this kind of thing again with other family members and friends.
Increase your fiber intake: With the pandemic, fiber festivals across the country have been cancelled, which represents a serious loss of income for small, independent dyers. As an avid knitter and crocheter, I've come to be friends with some of those impacted by the cancellations so have made an effort to buy from dyers who were impacted. Making sure the people I care about, even though they're "only" internet friends is important to me. (Also, my doctor told me if I didn't knit or crochet he would've referred me to PT/OT. Just want to keep up with my treatment plan!).
Beans: I've been connecting with many of my friends online. One of my groups of friends has been sharing recipes and challenging each other to expand our cooking skills. One of our challenges for each other was to find and make as many dried bean recipes as possible. This was my first-ever pot of black beans.
