My Response to COVID-19

It’s everywhere you look. Every time I turn on the TV or my computer, or get a notification on my phone–there it is–COVID-19 and how it is impacting the whole world. How are you doing? How are you managing all of this?

I’ll tell you how I’m doing. I’m trying to be smart and take care of myself and my family, but I’m also trying not to be selfish and barricade myself from the world. I’m trying to keep my house clean and germ free and practice social distancing, while at the same time use this amazing technology we have available to reach out to others so we can all be kind and loving and continue to help each other. I don’t want to live in a world where we only think of ourselves.

That being said, I plan to spend time each day creating and challenge you to join me. I will be doing papercrafting, but I know we each have our own creative artistic gifts to share with the world.

It’s been my experience and science has shown that creating is therapeutic. It will help keep you from focusing on the craziness in the world around us. It will give us a healthy outlet to express our feelings. And, I plan to spend my creative time creating for others, so it also helps us get our minds off ourselves and our fears and anxieties.

I’m so thankful that we live in such a connected world where we are able to reach out to each other without physically sharing our germs. Here are some ways we can share our creations while social distancing.

1. Make and send birthday cards
2. Make and send cards to your local nursing home or other care facilities
3. Make and send thank you cards to medical professionals on the front lies of this pandemic
4. Make encouragements cards/gifts for your friends and family members
5. Decorate your home for each holiday as it arrives–today is St. Patrick’s Day.
6. Reach out to high school seniors you know with a card/gift. They will be missing out on Senior Prom, Senior trips, Senior fun times, Last walk through the school, Graduation, etc.
7. Cards for military (I happen to know an amazing group who regularly ships cards to the military if you need somewhere to send them)
8. Cards for teachers
9. Create project kits for your students to work on during their “at home” time.–Have fun creating together
10. Create fun projects to surprise family members in your house to start each day with a smile
11. Cards for Ronald McDonald Houses
12. Make “May Baskets” to be delivered to neighbors porches to bring a smile and no contact gift. Deliver any day–not just May 1.

What are some of your ideas for adding creativity to your social isolation or social distancing time?

Let’s make sure we continue to be smart during this unprecedented time in which we are currently living. Wash hands, don’t touch your face, keep things clean and sanitized, but don’t forget to reach out to others, to give, to love, to be kind.

Make it your goal to make someone smile today.