RENEW PURPOSE
Hi there,
Hope this greeting comes to you from a cozy couch.
I know the Coronavirus outbreak has affected some more than others, but it seems too pressing not to make any sort of blog post about it. To be honest, I’m not mad about this forced pause. There are many projects up my sleeve that I’ve little time to focus my attention on. The two biggest downsides from this break have been, personal financial cuts as a result of dance school closures and a forced halt to various dance projects. The best upside? The absence of my usual work/rehearsal routine(s), gives me real time to advance and educate myself in new ways, and come away from this break with fresh insights and purpose! Waiting out the pandemic in good health with social distancing, is kind of like being inside when you are sick or injured, except you are fully functioning.
This forced break has potential for so many different opportunities and activities to dive into other than Netflix….
DEEP Spring Cleaning!
Check out last week’s blog post SPRING THINGS: Part 1 of 3
Note: SPRING THINGS will pick up again next week, I felt like I needed to address the pandemic at hand first.
READ and reread:
Favorite books or new books, magazines, blogs, etc.
DISCOVER new
Podcasts- there is such a great range of topics to learn from
Music + old music that you never knew existed
*Ask friends for their favorite suggestions
REFRESH your brain
Learn a new skill
Try a new cooking technique or recipe- depending on supplies
Review a language or train to speak another (Duolingo is a great resource)
CRAFT with materials you have
Paint/Sketch
Knit/Crochet/Sew
Scrapbook
Color- Remember all those therapeutic coloring books you got like 3 years ago??
DIY
MAKE with all your time!
Piece together material for a future project- hey, artists I’m talking to you!
Songs
Short films
Write- blogs, plays, short stories
Dance phrases
Bake
Fool around on Photoshop/Illustrator or other online graphic sources
Finish projects that have been laying around your house
REFLECT
Journal
Evaluate your happiness + prioritize the present
How to Prioritize the Present- from the blog
Based off of the Happiness Wheel concept
UPDATE
Living spaces
Professional Resources : websites, instagram, facebook, resume, reels (artists)
Yearly/weekly/monthly goals
CONNECT
Stay in touch with friends and family
Reach out to those you haven’t talked to in a while
Send snail mail :)
MOVE
Instagram is the new online resource for FREE virtual exercise:
@305 Fitness is actively live-streaming on their Youtube channel
@movement_for_hope, is offering access to movement based classes for dancers and non-dancers (donation if employed)
@dance_church is live-streaming from their website, linked from instagram
Dancer friends, check out:
Gaga classes being offered on Zoom (donation requested)
Exercise Apps:
FREE or LOW-COST movement guidance (or limited free trials!)
Variety
FitOn
Tone It Up ($13 a month)
Nike Training Club
Yoga-based
The Yoga Collective
Yoga Workouts by Daily Burn
Down Dog (free through April 1st due to COVID-19)
HIIT + Challenge-based: if you just need to move
HIIT Workouts and Timer
30 Day- Fitness Challenge (Ab Challenge, Cardio Challenge etc)
Running
Beginning to run as a last resort for cardio?
Use-Couch to 5kAlready in routine?
Use-Map My Fitness
Walks are still fine and definitely necessary!
Option:
MAINTAIN/ CREATE A DAILY SCHEDULE:
Having the same schedule progression everyday might be helpful.
Personally, I’m thinking about going back to my high school roots…with block periods!!
If your memory subconsciously erased how this from your mind as a post trauma mechanism…
Compile list of 7 categories you would like to focus on during this time (maybe using some options from above) and order them A-G. Work on A-E one day, then G-D “G-A-B-C-D” the next, then F-C “F-G-A-B-C” and so forth.
Include a consistent, unchanging time for exercise especially.
Maybe this sounds good, maybe it feels more constrictive.