Mental Health During Quarantine: Part 2

I have to admit, I was a little shocked how well my Mental Health During Quarantine post did. People shared it and people read it and even though I was proud of it, my engagement went WAY up! 

So I decided to another part to this and make it a series!  

And I have to admit something: I have been slacking. I have not been taking much care of my mental health and I feel like I'm too busy taking care of my physical health recently.

 I NEED TO SNAP OUT OF THAT "too busy" MENTALITY! Even during a lock down, I'm a go-er. But paying attention to my needs is also important. Which is why I like to write these posts because I get use out of them too! 

So here we go: Mental Health During Quarantine part 2

Reading (or Listen to Someone Read) More

Libby app- I found out via my local library's Facebook page that you can get eBooks on your phone (or iPad or things of the sort!) AND audio books. Now, I'm picky with audio books because I feel if you're voice is off, I can't listen to it (which is why I can't listen to the Twilight series. The narrator makes me cringe...). But I've listened to 3 books so far and loved every single one! You'll need an existing library card number, which you can find ON your actual library card. And if your card happens to be expired, contact your local library about renewing it! I emailed mine and they renewed it via email so fast! You can find the Libby app on the Apple App Store. 

Target- Some of you may or may NOT know that Target stores have discounts on their books. I usually see 20%, but I'm not sure if it differs. They will have a sticker on their books that have a percentage off and if you buy it and would like to get that sticker OFF: use a hairdryer, heat up the sticker, then peel off slowly! Anyway, I go to Target online or in stores and always browse the books. I end up buying some I don't even need half the time. They always have a good selection to me!

Making Lists

Places to travel- I'm usually big on list making but during this lock down, I'm obsessed with making lists. My favorite thing to do right now is make lists of places I want to go after the ban gets lifted. I was SUPPOSE to travel to London this year but that won't happen, so I am hoping to go to Las Vegas. I also want to drive a bit on Route 66 and my friend wants to take a girl's trip to a beach town in Michigan. I mean, I dream big because I do have a job so I can't take too much time off, but I swear I get happier making my travel lists!

Places to take photos- This is mostly for the younger crowd but taking cute photos in nice outfits is my obsession. The flowers are starting to bloom and I can't wait for peak flower season. I'm always bad at posing, to be honest, and I just got an email from my favorite Instagram account showing some pointers on posing. It's getting me in the picture taking mood! Now, she is also SELLING a posing guide, but it's crazy expensive just to warn you. BUT here's her blog that got me excited to try new things: X

Use Your Hands

I'm going to do it. I am going to share with you guys how I make my Simple Sugars for my coffee and tea. I tried selling them last year but no one really wanted to pay $5 for something I made, I guess, and kept wanting for me to make it for them for free...SO I'm giving in and sharing my recipe in hope that someone will make it and be AMAZED by how easy and delicious it is! For this, I'll be doing an easy mint recipe. This year I'm going to see if I can make it with Stevia sugar, but for this one, it's plain white sugar. 

What You'll Need:

1. 1 cup of water
2. 3/4 cup of sugar
3. a handful of cleaned mint leaves

Directions:

1. -Get out a small pot and pour in water. Bring to a boil.
2. -Stir in sugar and turn off burner
3. -Stir in mint leaves after pouring in sugar 
4. -Keep stirring every 5 minutes for 30 minutes. It will thicken over time. 
5. -When you get the syrup consistency and you make sure it's cool, place it in a jar. Make sure you use it within 2 weeks!

Let me know if you have questions or if you tried it! I'm obsessed with making it with lavender buds and putting it in my morning tea or my cocktails at night!

Keeping Sane

-I wanted to share some facts about this time. Many people are using social media so much these days and apparently, people are turning to YouTube for a safe space. Take a look at this chart from Forbes

I have been using YouTube for workout videos and as much I hate to workout, it does bring a sense of comfort. But in my opinion, Twitter is THE worst during this time. People are rude and mean and spewing hate. I liked it back when I would see dog pictures...But of course, everyone is different!

-If you are currently working from home, create a simple schedule and stick to it! But don't forget to get fresh air. Also, set work boundaries: "When working from home, be sure that you are working reasonable hours. It can be tempting to work more while you have your work at home, however it can also be taxing on your health and well-being, so stick to a schedule with healthy boundaries." X

- I found a great PDF giving some tips like how to educate yourself and being your own advocate: X

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I hope you guys like this series. I know it really helps me. Thank you for all the comments and the shares, I appreciate every single one of you!