COVID-19 – Appreciation Magic

When Distractions Are Good for Your Soul

The year 2020 has been so unusual in unpredictable ways. The pandemic with the COVID-19 virus has resulted in disruptions in our normal routines and increased anxiety in many people as a result. The news is filled everyday with new virus numbers, many dead, red alerts around the world, and stories of people debating the efficacy of masks and others protesting it. This, coupled with a contentious presidential election in the U.S., has resulted in a lot of negative news on TV.

Awhile ago, I found myself not feeling very good when I turned on the TV and checked in with the news. It seems as if the stories were all the same, no matter which channel I turned to. So I decided to give myself a distraction and turn the news off for awhile. It’s not the first time I’ve done this and likely won’t be the last.

What a difference that decision made! I decided to find a distraction that would capture my interest and entertain me at the same time. So I began to watch old seasons of the show, Survivor. I was only recently a fan of the show, so I hadn’t seen any but the last season’s episodes in its entirety. The show has been on for 20 years and there are 40 seasons in all. I am now on Season #37! It has really kept my interest and completely distracted me.

This distraction for me is good for my soul. It is a form of self-care in these uncertain times. We all have to take care of ourselves and it is especially important during this pandemic. This is one way I’ve found to be calming and fun. It is not the only thing I’ve done to “escape” from the thoughts of this pandemic and the quarrels of what is now the U.S. presidential post-election, but it is one that has served me very well for my overall well-being.

So when you find that you’re having a hard time with the day’s events, it can be truly good for your soul to take a break and immerse yourself in something that brings you pleasure instead. Turn off the news and enjoy whatever makes you feel good.

I may not be a contestant on the show, but I am a survivor in these chaotic times of 2020!

What Can You Celebrate Today? I’ve Got 10 Things Right Here

Appreciating what’s going right is really like a celebration. If you want to amp up your vibe and mood everyday, look for things to celebrate. No matter how small, celebrations are good for you! Don’t spend too much time looking at what’s going wrong or you’ll get stuck there, leaving you in a negative mood or even depressed.

This week, I’ve seen some things worth celebrating that I’ll share with you here.

1. More than 150 labs are working worldwide to develop a vaccine for COVID-19. While still far from a solution, 23 of them are using human trials, including the news from Moderna involving a small human trial. I appreciate all these researchers working on a solution for this worldwide pandemic and the people who are participating in the human trials for the greater good of mankind!

2. I appreciate hearing about Phase 3 of a study on a new drug called REGN-COV2 at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. This new drug blocks the COVID-19 virus from infecting a person’s cells, which can slow the disease and protect its severity. I appreciate all these researchers around the world working on various solutions to lessen the effect of this public health crisis and the volunteers who are testing everything! They’re heroes in my book!

3. Ruth Bader Ginsberg was released from the hospital. She’s a strong, resilient and inspiring woman and I’m so happy she’s out of the hospital. My country needs her!

4. The Trump administration dropped its restriction for international students and online learning, allowing them to take online courses for the fall, and saving them from having to leave the country or transfer to someplace where there’ll be face-to-face learning. I so appreciate MIT and Harvard for bringing the lawsuit forward and the international education community who expressed outrage to the proposed new policy, as well as various states and cities who joined in. The backlash forced the administration to drop the policy altogether! International students bring so much enrichment to US campuses and I appreciate that they can stay.

5. Some people have been fortunate enough to see Comet NEOWISE across the skies. I personally haven’t seen it but I’ve always loved looking at the sky and seeing the marvels of space. There’s so much beauty up there!

6. Walmart, Sam’s Club, Kroger, Kohl’s, Best Buy, Apple, Costco, Starbucks and others require customers to wear masks in their stores. The number of businesses growing with this trend is good for everyone. While I’d prefer to see people voluntarily wear masks in public and more leadership to require it, I applaud the businesses who are trying to help make our society healthier.

7. Speaking of wearing masks, did you see this display of 300 drones in South Korea to thank frontline workers and remind people of the importance of wearing masks and maintaining social distancing? What a beautiful display!

8. I bought my cats a new toy yesterday and it is providing hours of entertainment. This one is an interactive one, so I play with them. I appreciate it when I can get something they like and actually use (unlike the several “beds” I’ve bought that they don’t use. They prefer boxes!) Ha!

9. I saw this morning a report that Rice University will conduct some classes outside, using tents and social distancing with students bringing their own chairs. I do appreciate the creativity that’s coming forth from these times and wish them all the best. Let’s hope it doesn’t storm much!

10. Today is “Iowa Day” on the Big Ten Network. That’s always something I celebrate! Go Hawkeyes!

Noticing What’s Going Right During a Global Pandemic

We’re in a midst of a global pandemic and the news can really get a person down. Between the deaths, rising cases in the U.S., fighting over wearing a mask, loss of jobs and crowds not social distancing, it can be a challenge for us to see any positives in today’s situation.

Yet with any challenging situation, there’s an opportunity for growth. There’s an opportunity to see what’s wrong and create change to make things better. It may not seem so these days, but I have faith that we’ll all learn some lessons from this experience in the long run.

Learning to find what’s going right each day is an exercise in creating more appreciation and joy in your life: even during this pandemic. So, I thought I’d give a short list of some things I see and feel these days and invite you to consider making the practice of truly appreciating what is going right in your world daily. My list is by no means exhaustive. Here’s a taste of appreciation for you!

I appreciate getting up everyday. I appreciate the sun shining and the birds singing. I am so appreciative of the food in abundance in my kitchen. I appreciate the summer so I can take walks during this time. I appreciate the variety of masks I’ve gathered for my time outside my home. I appreciate the advice of the medical community during this pandemic. I also appreciate all the people who are working to keep things moving: in the hospitals, grocery stores, pharmacies and restaurants. I appreciate the creativity of places to come up with alternative ways of doing business. I appreciate Zoom and WhatsApp that help me stay connected with people near and far. I appreciate all the books available for me to read or listen to!

I appreciate my two cats who provide a lot of entertainment during this time. I also appreciate some of the movies I’ve seen on TV. I really loved seeing Hamilton recently and appreciate that it was made available for us to see. I appreciate all my Hawkeye Twitter friends, who provide an endless supply of fun and I love their cooking pictures! I can’t wait until the day when we can all get together for a tailgate and share some of them! And in this extremely hot, humid weather, I appreciate having air conditioning!

So that’s my short list for today. If the news is bringing you down, it helps to just turn it off and give yourself a rest until you can get yourself into a better state of mind. Appreciating routinely will help you do that. What and who are you appreciating today?