Day 369 of self isolation...

Day 369 of self isolation. My transformation into a zombie is complete. The sofa has begun to absorb my rotting flesh and the stench of hopelessness mingles with decay. The carrion birds are circling. I can’t feel my legs. Send more snacks.

Wait... What do you mean you don’t dress up like a zombie to scare the neighbours?? What have you been doing with your quarantine time?? Come on people, you’re letting the side down! 

Okay, in reality, I decided to film a gory makeup tutorial to amuse myself, so here’s a sneak peek. It’s definitely a look that should keep people at least six feet away from you, don’t you think?!
Hopefully it won’t take me too long to figure out how to edit the tutorials. If anyone has a particular EASY app they use, please let me know.

An Introvert's Guide To Self Isolation #9

Happy Thursday everyone! How are you all coping with the craziness? I am on day 28 of not leaving the house, and honestly haven’t noticed much difference! Introverts truly do have an advantage right now!

My Introvert’s Guide To Self Isolation tip for today is: If you’re working from home, try to get up and dressed and keep to some kind of schedule as much as possible. Yes, everything is going to be more lax, and your boss won’t know if you indulged in a liquid lunch, but you might find your productivity levels are better if you get up and dressed and work at your desk. 

I know it is so tempting to just lounge about in your pjs all day, and I think everyone deserves those kind of days from time to time, but for the most part, try to stick to a regular routine. I am very lucky to be able to work from home and choose my own hours, since with five autoimmune diseases (at last count...) I would really struggle to be out in a regular workplace. So my daily commute from my bed to my office is not far, and I can wear whatever I want, (including unicorn costumes if I so desire!) but I do find that I get a lot more done when I am dressed in regular clothes.

And you’d be surprised how much fun you can have doing your regular work while dressed up in silly costumes and listening to some of your favourite music!
... Then again, maybe the cabin fever is getting to me? 

 

An Introvert's Guide To Self Isolation #8

Happy Sunday my lovelies! How are you all coping? My Introvert’s Guide To Self Isolation tip of the day is to remind everyone to eat a varied diet, and still get some sunshine, as much as possible while our routines are so off kilter.

Yes, most of us are on lockdown and hibernation mode, and I know it is tempting to eat ALL the snacks, but try to get some balanced meals in there too. And even if you can’t go OUT out, hopefully you have a space where you can still absorb some Vitamin D from the sunlight. You can do that in your garden, or even sit next to an open window, (the UVB rays are blocked by most glass windows.) Shout out to my mum for reminding me about this!

Of course, I’m not recommending that anyone starts tanning just because they’re at home with nothing else to do, but 15-30 minutes exposure to sunlight, three times a week, is thought to be enough to absorb the Vitamin D we need through our skin. And we need Vitamin D to help our bodies absorb calcium, so it’s essential for maintaining strong bones.

I apologise if I’m sounding patronising. I was diagnosed with osteopenia when I was 30, my GI issues cause malabsorption, and the medication I’m on suppresses my appetite, so I need to think about these things! 

Note to self: remember to eat. 

P.S remember to eat HEALTHY food occasionally!

An Introvert's Guide To Self Isolation #7

Happy Thursday my lovelies! Many thanks to several of my dear friends for reminding me of this Introvert’s Guide To Self Isolation tip for the day: Be kind to yourself!

This is definitely something that I struggle with. I always feel like I should be pushing myself harder, doing more, achieving more. Then when circumstances, or poor physical and/or mental health issues prevent me from doing things, I tend to denigrate myself for not being better.

Life can be extremely difficult at the best of times! We are all fighting battles that nobody knows anything about, so it’s important to be kind to others, but it’s also important to be kind to yourself. Take a look at how far you’ve come in life. Look back at all those obstacles you never thought you’d get past. Look at where you are now! Pat yourself on the back and acknowledge that you are doing an incredible job!

As for being isolated, I have heard from a lot of people that are concerned or berating themselves because they haven’t gotten as much done as they would like to. But remember, when faced with external threats, we have more than “fight or flight” modes. There is also a “freeze” mode. We are faced with this huge, scary, global threat, and it is absolutely normal to feel scared and threatened. And for a lot of us, that freeze instinct may be kicking in. Maybe you’re finding that you’re sleeping more, or seem unable to do the most basic of tasks? Don’t be too hard on yourself, you are dealing with SO MUCH right now, and being isolated, outside of your normal routine is a huge change in itself. Considering that we are supposed to be staying at home to help flatten the curve, napping and binge watching tv shows is a perfectly acceptable way to spend your time! You don’t need to worry about cleaning your house, nobody is going to be coming over to see it!

Just be kind to yourself, and remember that you are doing a remarkable job under very trying circumstances. 

 Speaking of martinis...

An Introvert's Guide To Self Isolation #6

Today’s Introvert’s Guide To Self Isolation tip of the day is: Singing!

Singing has been proven to release endorphins, so is a natural anti depressant, as well as decreasing the stress hormone cortisol. Both great benefits for all of us right now!

Why not sing while you’re preparing dinner, or doing any other mundane task? I promise you it will be better with singing. I don’t care how well you sing, but it’s worth giving it a go. You could have a singalong with your family, an online karaoke session with friends, or your own personal operetta in the shower!

Personally, if I know the words to a song, then I’m singing, whether I realise it or not. If I don’t know the words then I’m humming or whistling! I will not be subjecting any of you to my voice, but I will let you in on an embarrassing story from my adolescence:
Many many years ago, I was in the shower, belting out Sweet Transvestite from The Rocky Horror Picture Show... and apparently a family friend dropped by. And heard the whole rendition. I definitely got some funny looks when I went downstairs, and I’m still mortified to think of it.

Tell me, do you love to sing? Do you love to sing even if your family hates it? Now is not the time to be shy, but let go and enjoy yourself. You might find you really like it, plus it has surprising benefits!