In all fairness, we have all been feeling stuck in the past year or so, since this ongoing crisis has imposed so many restrictions and limitations on our lives. Without the ability to travel around the world and experience new cultures, or the chance to spend more time with our friends and relatives - the options seem limited at best. In addition, some of us are dealing with financial troubles, from job losses or other complications.
It’s precisely in these circumstances that we need to go beyond our comfort zone and explore our options (as seemingly limited as they might be) and learn how to appreciate the little things in life. Sometimes, the most wonderful adventures hide just around the corner. Or perhaps we’ve been blind to local getaways that are as exciting as tropical escapades. To help you expand your horizons and enrich your life with more health and wellbeing, try some of the following ideas and you’ll hopefully feel un-stuck despite the circumstances!
Learn a new skill at home
From taking guitar lessons to taking up a cooking class, your day can become so much more interesting with just a little bit of imagination. Even if you’re literally stuck at home because of the lockdown, there’s no need to get stuck with your mindset – and learning new skills is the best way to avoid that.
Choose something you find fun and exhilarating, be it juggling, dancing, or meditating, so that you can practice and expand your skills whenever you’re in the mood for another boredom-busting lesson.
Discover your local nature and wildlife
Spending time outdoors is one of the greatest remedies you can provide for yourself with virtually no effort at all. Surrounding yourself with greenery, listening to birdsong and the rustle of the trees while you enjoy a picnic with your significant other, it’s all one simple, but powerful way to detox from stress.
No matter where you live, you can take a bus or rent a car and go to a local park or nature reserve that allows visitors to spend a night and camp under the stars. Learning to appreciate Mother Nature can help boost your mental health as well as your physical stamina, so even a simple hike can do the trick when you’re feeling stuck in a rut.
Try new, soothing flavors
Sometimes the simplest pleasures in life can bring you the most serenity and joy, and most importantly, they can be available without the costs or current constraints of booking a plane ticket. If it’s legal in your country and you’re a fan of the relaxing impact of cannabis, you can try a delicious cannabis beverage. These products are now available in a variety of form factors, flavors, and dosages to mix things up. If you’re planning a family barbecue in your backyard, what better way to treat yourself to a few sips of cool, refreshing calm in the form of a soda or flavored seltzer water?
The stress levels in your life often lead to all kinds of anxiety and tension, and we all need simple but effective ways to unwind. Cannabis beverages can achieve just that, without the need to smoke or drink alcohol, and they are simple to get and a delight for any menu.
Travel to safe, but exciting places
Considering the situation and the small spikes of the still ongoing pandemic, we need to be mindful of our options and opportunities in order to keep people around us safe and healthy, too. If you are healthy, perhaps vaccinated, and you live in a country that permits its citizens to travel, you can consider a few options that will get you out of your house and into the unknown!
Post-COVID travel choices will depend on which countries allow you entry, but also which destinations you personally find appealing. How about taking a kayak down the Mekong Delta in Vietnam or tasting superb coffee in Chile?
Get artsy and craftsy on your own
When was the last time you put together a jigsaw puzzle or painted something? As we grow up and grow older, we forego the simple, creative outlets and swap them for the more “productive” alternatives that bring us less pleasure. There’s no need to abandon the things that make you happy, especially during difficult moments in life when we’re all in need of some extra inspiration.
To add a dose of freshness to your days, schedule a few hours of pure creativity. Be it singing, dancing, painting, playing an instrument, drawing, sculpting, or coloring a store-bought book – it’s entirely up to you. The goal should be to make yourself smile genuinely and appreciate the present moment in all of its simplicity. Perhaps your efforts could also end up making a gift or offering for someone you love!
Sometimes, experiencing new sensations and leading a healthier, more fulfilled life can mean just staying in your backyard with a cool beverage in your hands, meditating, and sunbathing in the spring sun. At other times, it can mean packing your bags and exploring a faraway land like New Zealand in all of its glory, away from your home, alone and without a travel agent to guide you.
No matter which options you choose, you can add a new dimension of self-care and self-love to your life by learning how to appreciate it in every shape and form. Create these moments for yourself and use your imagination to expand your horizons, and you’ll find more beauty in life than ever before.