100 positive things in the time of covid-19.

Ok guys. I’ve shut the news off and finally put a bra on. It’s time to get off the Wallow Wagon and move into the acceptance phase of this current normal! For our own sanity, self-preservation and the legit reality that one day we’ll all be back to our regularly scheduled lives and wonder why we weren’t more conscious of how we spent our time…

Before I begin, let me clarify: I’m judging nobody during this weirdness (unless you’re overtly ignoring Public Health recommendations, then I’m full on soap-boxing it in my head!). If you’re glued to Netflix right now? Party on. If you’re baking up a storm and eating one too many brownies? No worries, those calories and that coveted bag of sugar won’t last forever. Sitting around flicking back and forth from Facebook to Instagram to your Safari app? Yeah, so am I. My thumb literally has a clicking sound as a result of all this working out. 

Today I feel a strong urge to re-frame this Pandemic bullshit, because I haven’t been completely right in the head these days. The great irony is I used to be so busy that I’d regularly run out of gas for lack of a moment to fill the old tank; and now, gas is practically free because nobody is going anywhere. Truthfully, though? This Pandemic has become an excuse. A carte-blanche, get-out-of-jail-free card to stew in anxiety and get nothing done. Understand, I’m talking about myself, ok?

I see all you people posting your at-home workouts and doing push-up challenges and yet I, I continue to mostly sit around, half-ass start a project, move onto another one, laze about in bed waiting to hear from our Prime Minister who mostly says stuff we already know. I’ve consoled myself with Hey, girl! These are unprecedented times! Chill the F*** out! And while this is true, I’ve simply GOT to change my outlook or in the words of my teenage daughter, I’ll literally become more bonkers than I already am.

Hence, I’ve made it my mission to come up with Good Things in the Time of Covid-19. I’m not leaving the table until I’ve reached 100. 

Disclaimerville: Be assured, I’m not minimizing our global crisis. No, I see you crisis. And I raise you! I’m gonna attempt to go all in on choosing to see things differently. Yeah, it’s difficult to do. Sure, I get sucked in on the daily. And YES I have vulnerable people in my life and health-care worker friends/loved ones… so AGAIN, I’m not downplaying the serious tone we all ought to have. 

100 Good Things in the Time of Covid-19

1. A chance to re-discover long lost hobbies.
2. Your pets will look back on this time with gratitude!
3. Flex that creativity muscle you know you have. 
4. A few months with no chemical on the hair or face?
5. Discovering the power of walks. 
6. Getting to see the inside of celebrity houses.
7. Covid is unselective in the hosts it latches onto. 
8. Relive the days of yore through our old diaries.
9. A chance to teach your kids about curveballs. 
10. Knowing your colleague is also “business on top, pajamas on the bottom”.
11. Greater compassion for health-care workers.
12. Global awareness… there’s a world outside of us. 
13. Collaborative ingenuity; what else could we do?
14. Chance to pare down those kitchen junk drawers.
15. Greater appreciation for local businesses.
16. Considerably less wastage of toilet paper. 
17. Rediscovering tuna. 
18. Increased awareness of loneliness and isolation, and how it affects people. 
19. Better hand hygiene for the win!!
20. Catching up on all that sleep you’ve missed. 
21. Rediscovering family meal time. 
22. Less chauffeuring of your unlicensed teen driver!
23. Wants becoming needs.
24. Reprioritizing household expenses.
25. Increased clarity on your political choices!
26. The chance to help others in new ways. 
27. Increased gratitude for the things that really matter.
28. A chance to become more self-sustained. 
29. Rediscovering the power of music. 
30. Finding out about meditation. 
31. Learning new ways to budget. 
32. Time for a time capsule?!
33. Finally opening those mysterious kidney bean cans.
34. Teaching the kids about supply chains. 
35. Teaching the kids different ways to approach a crisis.
36. Having more time to try and procreate! 
37. Understanding your dog. What DOES he do everyday?
38. No pressure for high-end lady maintenance (interpret as you see fit). 
39. Taking stock of which companies have rallied to help the most. 
40. Your house will never be so clean (possible farce here?)
41. Blaming the Government when you have to say “no” to your teenager. 
42. Creating a new economy of trade (music lessons online for brownies?)
43. Getting your Netflix money’s worth. 
44. Less pollution in the skies. 
45. Discovering the forest behind your house. 
46. Feeling connected to a global consciousness fighting the same enemy.
47. Becoming more judicious with what we read on the internet. 
48. A chance to rebuild — maybe your old life needed to go?
49. Impetus to test your marriage — maybe you needed this?
50. The chance to become part of the solution.
51. Giving what you can to where you can when you can.
52. Knowing you’re not the only one who looks a little unkempt. 
53. Giving your kids an alternative way to learn. 
54. Rediscovering REM’s “It’s the End of the World, and I Know It”
55. Free online concerts. 
56. Saving money on concerts your kids were lobbying for (sorry, Harry Styles).
57. Less roller coaster deaths. 
58. Less mileage going on your leased car. 
59. Loads of time to keep up with yard maintenance.
60. The chance to live through something that will be in our history books. 
61. Rediscovering your faith. Religion. Spirituality. 
62. Revisiting where you donate your money.
63. More time to file your taxes. 
64. Greater emphasis on cleanliness in public places. 
65. Heightened compassion for small business. 
66. Opportunity to live more in the present (tomorrow isn’t the same). 
67. Appreciation for the freedoms we regularly enjoy. 
68. A chance to contribute to the colossal volume of global memes.
69. Less teenage pregnancy?
70. Plan something out of your comfort zone for when life is normal again.
71. An appreciation for the need to have a Financial Advisor. 
72. Free online learning through Ivy-league institutions.
73. Working on your skill of adaptability.
74. Life-changing epiphanies that may happen as a result of this pandemic. 
75. Work-life balance will become priority when all of this is over.  
76. Potential for less division in the world. 
77. Potential for less division in our country. 
78.  Cataloguing your old CD collection. 
79. Finishing those family scrapbooks. 
80. Continued procrastination with dreaded dental visits. 
81. Animated debates about what is considered “essential” service.
82. Family WhatsAPP chats. 
83. Social Distancing driveway parties. 
84. Reading those books that collect dust on your nightstand. 
85. Purging your paperwork, filing cabinets and closets. 
86. Impromptu snuggles with nervous kids. 
87. Less freaking out over last minute school projects. 
88. Increased efficiency and speed with internet when this is over. 
89. Camping in your backyard. 
90. Increased time to plank.
91. Virtual movie dates. 
92. Learning the names of other global leaders.
93. Finally deciding that Trump is a D-Bag.
94. Omg this is so hard. 
95. Running out of steam. 
96. The bird is screaming for his food. 
97. The kids are still in bed and it’s 11:17am.
98. Just three more. Come on. You can do it. 
99. Bulk shoppers have never felt more validated. 
100. Liquor considered essential service. THERE!

Phew! Eat that, Covid-19!!! In all seriousness, my simple goal for today is to get off my duff and help my kids get off theirs. Shall report back on how THAT all went down. I’m wishing you well… there are signs afoot that this won’t be a forever thing. So for now? Try and find the few positives that might fit in with your life. I know the list of BADS is also exhaustive — but none of us need reminders on that. 

With love, from Sam… reporting to you in my husband’s ripped, long underwear.