It’s interesting that where there’s hardship and grief, there can also be blessings and joy at the same time. That’s how I feel about this pandemic. There’s both dynamics happening simultaneously. I for one want to be sure that I’m not only acknowledging the reality of the things that are happening around the world, but also and more so, recognizing the good things that are happening too. One of those good things is having more available time. Wow, that has been a sore spot for a long time for many of us because in the “normal”, we can never seem to have enough time for all the things that we wish to accomplish each day. But that’s not necessarily the case anymore right now—that is if you’re not working outside of the house at the moment. Either way, if you’re finding that you have more time on your hands, here are some things to do that nourish the body and soul.
Learn a Language
Think back and try to count how many times you said I really have to work on my, fill in the blank with the language you want to master. That is exactly what you can do now! Now is one of the best opportunities. There are helpful apps to get you on your way like Duolingo and Babbel. Pimsleur and Rosetta Stone are also great programs. You may even be able to rent resources from your local library online. Along with these tools, it’s also good to involve another person. What’s the value of language without having someone to exchange it with? Set up a call time with someone who is more advanced in the language than you and practice with them. When you chat with them, agree to not speak any other language except the one you’re learning, at least for that conversation.
Work Out to Hip Hop
Ditch the boring average workout and instead, find a fun workout that you look forward to doing. My recommendation if you like to dance is to work out to Hip Hop. My club DJ days and performing days are long behind me, but when I found this channel on YouTube, it brought back the Fly Girl in me. Hip Hop dance workouts get you to sweat as you get a good physical workout and have fun at the same. There’s workouts like this on BeachBody by Shawn T if you have a membership for it, but if you don’t, go to good ole free YouTube! My favorite channel hands down is Les Mills. Here are a couple of videos I love! Hip Hop Vol. 1 + Hip Hop Vol. 2.
Create.
One of my favorite Scriptures in the Bible is Genesis 1:26 where is says, “Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” It reminds me that we have qualities of God because we were made in his image—the Creator. One of the qualities that I love is the ability to Create. Adam was given the autonomy to create names for all the animals on God’s behalf. How cool is it that we can do the same through the ability to create. Do you have a book in you, an album in you, a video, an art series, an apparel concept, a helpful lifestyle app? What talents have you been blessed with or skills you have developed over time? Use them to create something.
I find that when I create whether it is writing for my next book or it’s cooking or baking something in the kitchen, I feel a sense of satisfaction. Each day when God created something those first 6 days, you could tell that he was satisfied as he took a moment to look at what he created, and each day he said the creation was “good” or even “very good.” It’s such a good feeling when you use your abilities to create. I encourage you to do some creating with this extra time.
Learn to Cook a New Cuisine
You need to eat right? So why not make it fun! What’s a cuisine that you’ve been meaning to try? Go for it. Choose one cuisine a week or every two weeks and focus on that culture throughout that timeframe. There are a ton of culture specific recipes online, so put our test kitchen apron on and enjoy yourself while learning a new cuisine at home. A great resource for nourishing tasty recipes is Pinterest (app), All Recipes(.com), Epicurous (.com), The Kitchn(.com), and Food Network (.com), to name a few.
Talk to Two people
This one is especially helpful if you’re at home alone or in an isolated self-quarantine. Talk to at least 2 people a day. This is not only edifying for you, it’s edifying for the people you choose as well. Human connection is an absolute necessity. We weren’t made to be alone 24/7. Choose two people a day that you’ll either have a voice call on the phone or a video call with like What’s App, FaceTime, and Zoom. And pick someone you know will freely participate in an encouraging conversation, and not create stress. If you have someone at home, schedule a time with them to sit, have a meal and chat. Be sure that you have someone to share your thoughts and heart with—every one of us needs someone to connect with.
Read a Book
Reading a book is a great use of time. You’re keeping your brain active and learning more information while possibly being inspired depending on that book. That’s actually one element that is highly important to consider—the actual books you choose. Reflect on what you want to learn, areas in life where you’d like more wisdom or inspiration. Once you have that figured out, do a Google search on best-selling books on that topic or topics. Also if you know of a subject matter expert in this area, find out what books they’ve been inspired by or books they recommend as well.
Follow a Bible Study Plan
Speaking of books, if you’ve been looking to get a deeper understanding of the Bible, this idea is totally for you. There are numerous study plans in the Bible app to choose from. Each one has a specific topic or theme. Would you like to study out the life of a biblical character in order to learn some priceless life lessons? Or maybe you’re in a specific situation and need God’s guidance on it. You can absolutely find a study on that particular thing, including personal character issues that you’re ready to tackle and change. The app I use is Bible by YouVersion. It has a picture of a brown book that says “Holy Bible” on it. It’s both in the android and iPhone app store. Feel free to leave a review on the app store at some point to pay it forward for their great work. I don’t know anyone that works there, I just appreciate the value they provide. Go check it out.
What You’ve Been Waiting For
The last on the list is—do what you feel you never have enough time for. You know that thing that you want to invest more time into, but it seems to always get the back burner because there aren’t enough hours in the day. Whatever that particular things is, do it now.
I hope this helps you whenever you’ve run out of things to do or could use a little boost of energy, excitement or inspiration in your day. What is something you recommend that you find is a nourishing way to spend your time?