Don’t worry folks – you will survive self-isolation. Take it from us – we work from home and homeschool the girls. We’re self isolating daily.
Parents and couples are plunging into shock as they realize they’ll be stuck 24/7 indoors with each other for at least two weeks, possibly even longer.
For those who won’t be able to work from home and are facing challenging times, we are thinking of you and holding the space for you. The last few months have been the most stressful we have encountered in over 10 years. We understand how frightening it can become when outside events you can’t control impact your life.
We overcame it once before, we’ll do it again, and we know you can too.
This will pass and you will come out better. Hold the course.
You may not feel like you can rely on your government’s right now. I’m not going to argue against that for you. I’ve never had a great deal of faith that’s the case in good times either.
I know for sure – you can rely on yourself.
So use this time to work on you! Evaluate your life. Do some inner work to see how on track you are to creating your dream life. How can you safeguard you and your family in the future? Challenges will always arise. This is natural law.
How can you improve your health? Your passion purpose? Your career? Your finances? Your quality time with those you love.
Most importantly, your mindset. This is the thing that helps you weather the storm, no matter how bad they are.
Our forced self-isolation is the perfect time for you to take stock and make changes. That is the purpose of low and depressed times in the cycle.
Prepare yourself for the swing back up so you can seize the opportunities and grow for the better.
We’ve lived 24/7 with our kids for 6 years now. No actually that’s just homeschooling them. Apart from Kalyra’s 18 months at school, it’s been since they’ve been born. She’s 12, Savannah 8. That’s a long self-isolation time!
Don’t stock up on toilet paper. Stock up on wine and you’ll be fine.
Time to band together and work for humanity
One thing we know for sure, self-isolation now seems like a necessity. I know we were all hoping it wouldn’t be true and we refused to buy into the panic and want to carry on as normal.
But, with new data and information coming out daily, if not hourly, we know that in order to slow this down and keep the number of people overwhelming the hospitals and medical system, we need to come together and do our part to protect all of society.
We have to think of those most vulnerable. Not just in direct relation to this virus, but for those who may need medical assistance for other unforeseen emergencies. And yes. That could be you or me or our children!
You can still go out FOR NOW!! It may change.
Of course, you have errands, and groceries, and possibly work to go to. It’s okay. Do your best to minimize contact, stay away from large gatherings (most are now cancelled), and keep your distance.
This will be temporary and we will survive.
You can still chat to your loved ones on Messenger, Whatsapp, Facetime or Skype. Why not hold a virtual social gathering? We were meant to speak at a conference this weekend, and instead will be doing it virtually – just like schools and universities will be doing.
This world we now live in makes all of this so easy and possible.
How to stay calm amongst the chaos
We filmed a little video for you to help you remain calm during this turbulent time. We also offer tips on being at home 24/7 and how to balance work with everything else from home, and some homeschooling tips.
Here are a few ideas for you:
Hobbies and Projects
Now’s the time for you to finally tackle those projects that have been waving at you from the corners for years. Isn’t it wonderful that we’ve been forced to live slowly and simply and have time to do what we love.
How about you:
- Declutter your house or car
- Spring clean your house and car
- Spring clean your garage (on the list tomorrow)
- Start your new fitness regime (I nearly just killed myself with an intense cardio workout through Grokker)
- Plant a garden
- Start composting
- Try new recipes
- Declutter and organize your hard drives (I see you waving computer!!)
- Do jigsaw puzzles (sorry computer the puzzle waved harder!)
- Swing on your porch rocking chair and read a book
Make board games fun again
As a family we love:
- UNO
- Rummikub
- Dominoes – goes well with beer and friends. Oh wait. Do that in the summer. Not now.
- Cashflow for Kids
- Solitaire
- During Monopoly time you’ll most likely find me swinging on the hammock out back with a wine in my hand.
You will need that kind of downtime, so carve out a “this is my space, this is yours” area of your home.
Put up the do not enter sign. Signify its arrival by simply saying, “Mummy needs to put herself in time out now to protect everyone.”
My favorite streaming shows
Might be a good idea to leave off the snack-binging while watching these shows. I think it’s best to slow down your consumption right now.
If you’re not hungry, don’t eat and make use of those staples: Bowls of rice, beans and potatoes go far!
- Outlander – may not be good if you don’t want to make lots of babies. That love story is something else! I think it’s my all time favorite show. I love the adventure and history that is weaved into the romance. Jamie and Claire forever.
- Madame Secretary – to gain insight into foreign relations and even how they handle pandemics like Coronavirus. Fake news folks. Fake news but good viewing.
- This is Us – if you need an outlet to cry. This is it.
- How to get away with Murder – 24/7 self isolation with more than yourself. You just never know what gameplans you may need.
- Survivor – No better way to outwit, outplay, and outlast.
- Amazing Race – keep the travel dream alive. You know you’d win that show hands down!
Get Outside
Find a space where people aren’t. Ground yourself, smell the fresh air, stand in the sunshine and do your best to feel normal. Mother Earth is your best source for good feelings.
This is not too bad. You can still carry on not a great deal of negative impact. Just distance yourself from others for awhile! For some of you it could be a life goal!
Read More:
Don’t forget travel!
Get ready for more travel. It may not be possible now, but soon enough it will be again and there’ll be great deals waiting for you!
Now you have LOADS of time, you can use it to dream and plan. Allow us to help you.
We’re still going to be publishing content on here. We know travel may be paused right now, that doesn’t mean we have to pause our dreams and stop producing quality content. We need the dreams during challenging times the most.
So stay updated so you don’t miss the post. We appreciate and love your support!
Below are a few posts to help you with your planning, dreaming, destination ideas and perhaps a few giggles. Some posts to help you slip into the travel vibe and remember why you love it so.
Life Inspiration: Overcome adversity and follow the dream
- I want to know your secret
- How to achieve your goals and change your life
- 9 ways to unplug from the chaos and reconnect to life
- 14 ways to improve your life
- You’ve got time
How to create a dream life in 3 easy principles
Watch my TBEX Keynote presentation where I share 3 principles you can apply to any goal or dream building! Why not also subscribe to our Youtube channel for more tips and travel inspiration.
When I saw the title “How to build your dream life”, I remember thinking “as if there’s a blueprint to that. LOL” By the time Caz was finished my face was covered in tears and my heart dancing. If I went to that fest for anything, it was to hear her speak.What struck me after hearing her story was that we have the power to choose and create the life we want. The question is, are we willing to do it? – Keynote attendee
Work from home tips
- How to teach English online to Chinese students (and earn good money)
- How to find balance between family, work and travel
- How to get shit done in 9 steps
Homeschooling tips
- Tips for homeschooling + resources
- Tips for homeschooling on the road
- Would you go insane traveling with your kids full time?
Travel Inspiration
- 10 principles for making travel memorable
- 20 best travel tips after 20 years of travel
- 23 experiences you don’t want on your bucket list
- 29 wonderful experiences you do want on your bucket list
Health Inspiration
- How to stay healthy while traveling with kids
- What to pack in your medical kit + packing checklist
- How to stay healthy on a cruise and still indulge
- How to supersize your health on a US road trip
- How to maintain a happy travel workout routine
Travel Planning
- Helpful guide to annual travel insurance
- 15 steps for planning a trip
- 52 ways to save money on travel
- Guide for choosing travel destinations
- 16 ways to create more money for travel
- How to find cheap flights to anywhere in the world
- How to find cheap accommodation
Destinations to think about when it passes
- 30 incredible places to visit in California
- 14 epic adventures in the Southwest not to miss
- Things to do in Lake Como for a captivating trip – they’re going to need you!
- Best of Australia travel tips – bushfires and corona viruses has made a tough year for Aussies. Highly recommend.
- 2 week China itinerary for unmissable places
Oh and poke around more on our site. We’ve just had a redesign. Nothing to drastically different, but it’s cleaner and faster and easier to find what you need. We’re still fixing a few bugs so be patient.
Please share our content with your friends!
And come chat with us on social, I’m getting sick of talking to Craig and the girls. Oh wait, I deal with that emotion regularly. Where’s the wine?
Oh and if you need something stronger, my pick for 2020 is Mezcal!
