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May 2020

Activities to Spark Your Creativity and Strength

By Newsletter

Activities to Spark Your Creativity

We are living through an unprecedented time. There are no rules, no handbooks, or even a guide to help us get through a scenario that has dramatically affected the way we operate our day to day lives.

What we do know is that keeping our minds stimulated will allow us to rest better, reduce stress, and continue to thrive through a pandemic. Watching hours of news a day, or falling down the internet rabbit hole will only contribute to stress – so what’s the alternative?

Creativity

What this looks like for you can vary, but now is the perfect time to pick up where you left off when it comes to something that can bring you both serenity and satisfaction. What’s even better is if you haven’t actually left off anywhere and you want to pick up a hobby, now is the time – every element of art and creativity is at our fingertips with tutorials and classes.

What about supplies? With stores being closed, supplies can be ordered online. Wait times for shipping will vary depending on your location, but the postal services in major cities have seemed to have gotten back on track.

Visual Art

We may not all be artists at heart, but for those who are you know how relaxing drawing, painting, or sculpting can be. Whether it’s been 2 weeks or 20 years since you’ve picked up a paint brush, a pencil, or a piece of clay, there is no better time practically to get back into it. And have fun, this can be the perfect time to reignite your passion for creating art!

Scrapbooking

What about those boxes of photos you’ve been meaning to organize and scrapbook? I know, I’m speaking to an older generation of folks when I speak about scrapbooks or photo albums, because now everything is done digitally. But for those who just haven’t had the time to put together their favorite photos of family or vacations, you can now sit back and take your time reminiscing and displaying your best memories.

Scrapbooking can alternatively be done online with your photos on your computer or phone, and there are classes for this too! It’s never too late to learn something new, and it’s always a good idea to remain up to date with our ever evolving world of technology.

Dance

Always wanted to learn to Salsa? There are classes for this online. Whether it’s through live streaming, YouTube, or your local dance studio’s website, you can virtually learn any genre of dance at this point. For those who may have been too embarrassed to be a beginner, now you have the opportunity to learn in the privacy of your own living room. If you are someone who misses the energy of a room full of people, some of these streaming platforms allow you to be present online with others through video. Either way, the world of technology has devised ways to please every person wanting to remain connected or not.

Change is Scary, and it’s Good

We will come out of this experience changed people. Our appreciation for our health, our time, and our loved ones will be stronger. Our need for human connection has been brought to the forefront, and I believe our appreciation for our time to work on ourselves and our creative minds has become apparent.

My wish for all of you is that you have remained healthy both physically and mentally, and that we can soon discover what our new normal will be. In the meantime, keep creating, and please, take care of yourselves.

Keep it Moving!

It’s been an interesting time for us all, and although we are enjoying time with our families I can’t help but notice how many people have fallen into a groove of being sedentary. Naturally, the work that I do requires you to remain as active as comfortably possible – which means if you aren’t attempting to keep moving, you’ll be risking the loss of all the progress you have made. Now I’m not suggesting you begin training to run marathons (unless this is your desire), but in order to remain healthy we need to be monitoring what we put into our bodies, along with how we remain as physically fit as we can.

Stretching is Necessary

Even if you are sitting for most of the day, our bodies require stretching. Long periods of sitting will affect our circulation, it will cause a deterioration of muscle mass, and ultimately will affect our overall health.
Now I can suggest yoga, but because I’m unable to assess and recommend a personal plan to begin with, I’d err on the side of caution when choosing an online class that is appropriate for you. Without instructors that are able to watch your form and make suggestions to eliminate the possibility of injury, this is one I wouldn’t necessarily recommend for those with compromised mobility. However if you don’t fall into this category, starting with an online beginner program can be a great start to something you may love while allowing your body to remain limber.

If yoga has not been on your radar, then continuing with light stretches throughout the day is highly recommended. Keep in mind that your form is equally as important as the stretch itself, so take your time and make sure you are breathing through it and that it feels right.

No Weights at Home?

This has never been a problem, so unless stocking up on your home gym was a goal of yours, I wouldn’t recommend purchasing weights online. Instead, using household items is a perfect alternative until you can get back into the gym.

What are good alternatives?

  • Large bottles of liquid detergent are great because they have handles, and you could
    easily use 2 at a time provided they have the same amount of liquid in them.
  • A bag of potatoes is a standard 10lbs. This is easy to assess, and the bags are easily
    manipulated so there is less likelihood of dropping it and causing injury.
  • A backpack with cans in it is an excellent use of weight when doing squats or lunges,
    and the weight will remain evenly distributed.
  • Cans of paint are great for bicep curls.

If I were to recommend an inexpensive purchase, it would be a set of good quality loop resistance bands. They will often come with an insert with exercises that can be done while watching your form and weight used to prevent injuries, and there are several great videos on YouTube that will show you how to use them efficiently. The great thing about these bands is that you can work almost every muscle.

Online Workouts

The great news is workouts have continued to go viral online. There is a workout for every body type, for every goal, and for every type of injury. You can workout with your favorite celebrity, with your neighbor, your friends, and even many personal trainers have jumped online with Live Social media platforms. Your local gym likely has resumed with free classes online, so the variety is endless.

Ultimately, there is no reason to remain sedentary. Starting something new can be intimidating or challenging for some, but combined with the ability to start in the privacy of your own home can be appealing.
Whether it’s the occasional stretch, a daily distancing walk, or continuing to workout with your gym family – anything is a great alternative to sitting. When you feel better physically, you will always feel better mentally. So keep it moving! And I hope to see you all very soon.