Some ideas to make your day/s better
Hey there,
how are you coping with the current situation?
I have to admit that I felt quite frustrated the last days.
Then I was inspired by Daniela Rom & Franziska Zoida and Sara Tasker to think about the things that make my days better and thought I'd share them with you, so that you may also have more bliss amidst the pandemic whirlwind.
Instagram photography: as you might have seen I am playing around and finding my own style on Instagram and having fun composing with flowers, paper & stationary. I got very inspired by the book Hashtag Authentic - Sara Tasker and her online course Bloom & Grow.
Puzzles: I did several puzzles during the las year, but the ones from @5ftinf and Pabuku are especially nice.
Baking cakes: usually by New Cakes on the Block, because Maria's recipes are easy to do and delicious & her lovely illustrations are a treat for the eye - unfortunately only in German, but it is definitely worth translating!
Dancing brightens up my mood every time. I love Kukuwa Fitness (YouTube) who are just fun & inspiring women with whom dancing in front of the TV doesn't feel weird. Popsugar also has some great hiphop workouts, for example this one with Keaira LaShea.
Our kitten cat Mochi / Momo who is just the funniest, loveliest cat ever.
Listening to podcasts, possibly also making up for missing social interaction: Hashtag Authentic, Creative Confidence Podcast from IDEO U, Drunk Women Solving Crime, The Marie Forleo Podcast, The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos, Dear Joan and Jericha, Sober Curious, a mindful mess, My Dad Wrote A Porno, Super Soul, SWR2 Wissen, Hotel Matze, Unlocking Us with Bernie Brown, Die Schaulustigen
Guided meditation to quiet down my monkey mind: either with Headspace and Deepak Chopra
Making a nice cup of tea and sitting down to read a book: great books I read were eg. Practicing the Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle (a great little book that helped me through my early day Covid anxiety), Everything I know about love - Dolly Alderton, A Gentleman in Moscow - Amor Towles. Other great reads include Americanah - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Little Life - Hanya Yanagihara, Wir haben Raketen geangelt - Karen Köhler, The Unit - Ninni Holmqvist, Nobody told me - Hollie McNish, The Salt Path - Raynor Winn and Normal people - Sally Rooney, Fates and Furies - Lauren Groff, And the birds rained down - Jocelyn Saucier.
Playing the quiet of 20 things with my kids: close your eyes until you have heard 20 different sounds. Best played in a forest or another place where sounds are nice and divers, but it actually works anywhere and calms us down in an instant. Groove in completely by using your fingers to count. Played alone or with others.
Thinking about work before I actually start my workday: I have started a ritual of sitting down with a nice cup of coffee in the morning for app. 30min, sitting on a comfortable cushion in the window of my office and freely thinking about my work. Any thoughts that come up are alright: this might be strategic, creative or just planning my day or the week. Improves mood, focus and direction my work.
I hope that you might find something in there that brightens up your day
Let me know what you are doing to get through these tiring times.
I wish you many good moments today!
Sunny greetings from Vienna,
Miriam