WOW! As the world turns upside-down dealing with the coronavirus, it takes an intentional effort to stay positive during these turbulent times. March 2020 truly felt like one of the longest months ever, didn’t it? To help you focus on the positive, I want to focus on what I CAN control–my attitude and my ability to help others and provide value. So every day in April, I’ve been focusing on staying positive in some way, posting each daily nugget on my Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter pages. (If you haven’t already, follow me on my social channels to stay connected.) I’ve been sharing helpful links, inspirational quotes, tips on healthy living, and stories of people doing good in the world. Here’s the rundown of what I’ve shared:
DAY 1: Listen to an uplifting podcast.
My suggestion? 60 Mindful Minutes, Episode #70: What’s Your Thrive Plan? Look beyond simply “surviving” during this tumultuous time and craft a plan to help you thrive. Mindfulness coach Kristen Manieri lays out a simple plan in this 10-minute podcast episode.
DAY 2: Find resilience and reduce anxiety.
Get the April 2020 Happiness Calendar from The Greater Good Science Center. I love the daily ideas and inspiration you get in bite-size chunks from the April 2020 Happiness Calendar, courtesy of The Greater Good Science Center.
DAY 3: Manage stress with free workouts.
Many fitness companies are making their online workouts for free during the coronavirus—perfect for when you can’t get outside to exercise. Try these streaming services and wellness apps, available now for free:
DAY 4: Enjoy nature—in whatever way you can right now.
Being surrounded by the natural world—birds, animals, flowers, grass, blue skies—feeds the soul. Enjoy nature every day, even if all you can do is look at the sun and clouds from your apartment window. I love listening to this bird singing in one of the trees that line my backyard, so I thought I’d share that with you.
DAY 5: Tap into the power of prayer.
I firmly believe that, both individually and collectively, prayer is a powerful tool. No matter whom you pray to, conveying your hopes, fears, and needs to a higher power not only feels good, it empowers you, too. Since is Sunday is a day of worship for many faiths, set aside just a few minutes for prayer today. I pray for the health and healing of our world.
DAY 6: Fuel your body with healthy food.
Boost your immune system, increase your energy, and keep your body strong by eating the right foods. Eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat dairy. You can even get fresh produce delivered!
- 5 Immune Boosters to Help Fight Off the Cold and Flu
- Get Fresh Organic Produce Delivered to Your Doorstep: Get fresh fruits and veggies delivered right to your door! Try Misfits Market, a subscription box of sometimes funny-looking, always delicious produce, designed to break the cycle of food waste. I love that it specializes in rescuing food that is unnecessarily thrown away. Interested in joining? Get 25% off your first box if you use this code: COOKWME-VR3MIU. Plus, I get 25% off my next box, too. Winner, winner, veggie dinner!
- Healthy Shopping Hacks: During the pandemic, though, skip #4; you should probably avoid buying food from bulk bins at this time.
- How to Strengthen Your Immunity During the Coronavirus Pandemic
DAY 7: Encourage others.
Find ways to encourage those around you with kind, supportive words and small gestures of appreciation. We can all use a lift, and it’s easy enough to give one, too. In my community, I’ve even witnessed kids doing their part!
DAY 8: What are you grateful for?
Focusing on what you have instead of what you don’t have is a key part of happiness. Practicing gratitude delivers psychological, physical, and social benefits, so I’m sharing some great resources to help start or strengthen your gratitude practice.
- The Benefits of Gratitude (video)
- 10 Ways to Become More Grateful
- Gratitude journal prompts
- Online gratitude journal
Gratitude quotes:
“I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness. It’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.”–Brene Brown
“Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.” –Brian Tracy
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” –John F. Kennedy
“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” –Oprah Winfrey
“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.” –Meister Eckhart
DAY 9: Feed your soul with uplifting music.
If you’re like me, you probably have a go-to playlist for music that makes you feel good. Take time out today to listen to uplifting songs that give your heart and soul a boost today. Need inspiration? Check out this sweet little boy singing, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.”
DAY 10: Do small acts of kindness.
Even from the safety of your home, you can be kind and generous in ways that can have impacts both big and small. If you’re able, make a donation to your local food bank to help those who rely on these food distributions to eat. (In Orlando, try Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.) Sew face masks for your friends who still need to go to work. Buy groceries for your mom who lives alone. Call your family members just to say hello. Check-in on your elderly neighbors to make sure they’re okay. Even giving a quick smile as you pass your neighbors on the street can brighten their day. Most importantly, stay home to flatten the curve!
DAY 11: Dream about Florida travel right now.
While you can’t vacation in Florida right now, you can dream about it. Since I live in Florida, I often write about travel to the Sunshine State. I’m sharing a few of my articles in hopes of inspiring your future trips to Florida.
- Paradise on a Budget: These Palm Beach Vacation Options Won’t Break the Bank
- Anna Maria Island Is a Mother-Daughter Getaway with Old Florida Charm
- Turn Up the Heat at Hawks Cay Resort
- Amelia Island Two Ways: Luxury vs. Budget
- What it costs to be a VIP at Walt Disney World in Florida
- Beach Bliss: Spring is Great Time to Visit Florida’s Islands
- Travel: A Journey to Jacksonville
- Time Out for Fun: 6 Easy Family Road Trips from Orlando
DAY 12: Have faith.
Today, Christians celebrate Easter to recognize Christ’s resurrection from the dead and promise of eternal life for believers. Whether you’re Christian or not, today can be a time of faith for everyone–faith in a better tomorrow, and faith that we will get through this together. In light of this global pandemic, let Easter remind us all of renewal and rebirth—as long as we have faith.
DAY 13: Shape your future.
At a time when we all feel helpless with this pandemic, you can make a big difference. Take five minutes to complete the 2020 Census online. Doing so will help determine congressional representation and direct nearly $700 billion in federal funding towards where communities need new schools, clinics, roads, and other services for families, older adults, and children. That includes infrastructure, affordable housing, transit projects, and more.
DAY 14: Look for the helpers.
In every bad situation, you’ll always find people stepping up to do good. This inspires me and fills my heart with hope and joy—even in the midst of COVID-19. I absolutely love reading these feel-good stories and want to share a few with you that I found on The Good News Network.
- 16-Year-Old Has Been Using His Flying Lessons to Deliver Medical Supplies to Rural Hospitals Fighting COVID
- Anonymous Donor Gives Away $82,000 Worth of Gift Cards to All 1,400 Residents of Small Iowa Town
- Teens Launch Hotline for Isolated Seniors to Listen to Pre-Recorded Jokes, Stories, and Messages of Hope
- Photographer Has Been Taking Free Family ‘Porchtraits’ to Capture Sweet Silver Linings During Social Distancing
- Family Cheers Up Neighborhood By Spending 6 Hours Coloring Each Brick of Their House With Rainbow Chalk
DAY 15: Quiet your mind by learning how to meditate.
During this challenging time, learning to meditate (or refreshing your existing practice) can offer welcome support to help you navigate the uncertainty. Get started with these free “meditation for beginners” courses.
- 5-day free course from 60 Mindful Minutes
- 7-day free course from Insight Timer
- 40-day free course from Sounds True
DAY 16: Learn something new.
With so much extra time spent at home during this pandemic, you’ve got a tremendous opportunity to “get schooled.” Whether you learn how to cook, take a free online college course, or brush up on business skills, think of this extra at-home time as an opportunity to improve your mind. Need some help finding free learning opportunities? Start with these:
- Cooking classes
- Photography classes (free thru 4/30/20)
- Online college courses
- SEO training (free thru 5/31/20)
- LOTS of sales and marketing courses
DAY 17: Get cultured!
Do you miss visiting music venues, history museums, art galleries, science centers, and other cultural sites? Me, too! But you can now take some amazing virtual tours. Enjoy.
- All the Museum Exhibits, Symphonies, and Operas You Can Enjoy from Home
- These Museums Are Offering Free Virtual Tours
- 11 Science and Tech Museums You Can Tour Virtually
- Stuck at Home? These 12 Famous Museums Offer Virtual Tours You Can Take on Your Couch
- 52 Places, Virtually
DAY 18: Feeling blessed? Share the wealth.
As Americans start to receive their stimulus checks, some people might appreciate the extra money but not necessarily need it. They still have good jobs and money in the bank to ride out the financial fallout of this global health crisis. If you’re one of the lucky ones, consider donating your check to local charities. Many nonprofits are facing decreased donations and canceled fundraisers, making it harder to serve the community. Need some ideas, in Central Florida and beyond?
How you can help during the coronavirus
Here’s how to help those affected by the coronavirus pandemic
DAY 19: Hope for a brighter future.
“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”—Desmond Tutu.
DAY 20: Stop and smell the roses.
This Wednesday marks Earth Day, an annual event celebrated globally to demonstrate support for environmental protection. Take time all week to enjoy (and learn about) the natural beauty that surrounds you. Start with these virtual garden tours.
- United State Botanic Garden
- 8 stunning virtual garden tours around the world
- 9 virtual garden tours to do from home
DAY 21: Relax watching live webcams of animals.
Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Let Earth Day (tomorrow) inspire you to get an up-close look at animals, birds, and sea creatures from around the world. Watch these amazing live streams from webcams in nature and at farms, zoos, and aquariums.
- African Wildlife Safari
- Australian Reef Cam
- Explore.org (multiple cams, this one focuses on brown bears catching salmon)
- Folly Farm in U.K.
- Monterey Bay Aquarium (multiple cams)
- San Diego Zoo (multiple cams)
DAY 22: Celebrate Earth Day!
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Discover more about our amazing planet and learn what you can do to protect it all—air, land, water, and animals.
- Earth Day: 24-Hours of Action
- National Geographic: At-Home Education Resources
- National Environmental Education Foundation: Celebrate Earth Day’s 50th Anniversary
DAY 23: Be inspired by two environmental activists.
In honor of Earth Day (yesterday), learn more about two amazing women tackling environmental issues on their terms—Jane Goodall and Greta Thunberg. Let their global efforts inspire you to make changes in your own little corner of the world.
DAY 24: Learn more about how to protect the environment.
In honor of Earth Day this week, I’d love to introduce you to one of my clients—the National Environmental Education Foundation. As a non-partisan, non-advocacy organization, NEEF works to make the environment more accessible, relatable, relevant, and connected to people so they can improve the quality of their lives and the health of the planet. I’ve linked to a few of my articles in the comments, but please explore the many resources on NEEF’s website.
- Join the Fight to Reduce Plastic Pollution!
- Take ’em to the River (or Lake or Ocean)
- Staying Safe, Healthy, and Entertained During the Coronavirus
- Hands-on Activities You Can Do (At Home and At Work) to Help the Environment
- Tips for Organizing a Beach Clean-Up
- Tap into the Power of Rain
- Make an Activity Date with Your National Parks
- How Landscaping Choices Affect Water Quality
- Love Your Local Park? Set Up an NPLD Event to Take Care of It!
- Take STEM Education Outside During Environmental Education Week
DAY 25: Homeschooling, Orlando style.
If you’re teaching your kids at home, Visit Orlando offers free online learning activities from the region’s famous travel partners. Lessons in science, art, PE, and more take a fun twist!
DAY 26: Dig into gardening!
I really miss being out in nature, walking through beautiful gardens, and going to farmer’s markets. These days, I’m reigniting my passion for gardening. I’m trying to grow bell peppers from seed, snipping off cuttings to grow herbs, re-growing food from kitchen scraps, and planning a container garden for my back porch. When you can’t get out and enjoy nature, bring nature to you!
- How To Regrow Everything
- 5 Best Crops for Your Edible Container Garden
- Herbs That Grow Together in A Pot
- 10 Vegetables & Herbs You Can Eat Once & Regrow Forever
- Kids Gardening
DAY 27: Infuse your day with good news.
Don’t get weighed down with all the heavy news surrounding this pandemic. Make sure you’re getting a daily dose of good news, too! Be inspired by feel-good stories that highlight everyday heroes making a positive difference.
- Good News Network
- Daryn Kagan’s Uplifting Stories
- CNN’s The Good Stuff
- ABC Good News
- NBC Good News
- Reader’s Digest
DAY 28: Plan for a future vacation–travel local.
Anticipating a future trip is part of the entire vacation experience. Plan your next trip now to have something to look forward to. When the time is right to travel safely, start with local travel, wherever you live. For Orlando, that means visiting the Sunshine State’s many amazing attractions, hotels, state parks, and beaches, as we begin venturing back into the world.
DAY 29: Listen to “A Doctor’s Plea, Quarantine Song”
My talented nephew, Dr. Doug Beach, is both an oncologist and a musician. He wrote this COVID parody called “Losing My Patience” to remind us (with a dash of humor) to stay home, flatten the curve, and do our part to help the essential workers on the front lines.
DAY 30: Stay positive!
While we continue to power through this pandemic, I hope you’ve found some helpful resources and inspirational content in my posts over the last 30 days. A big shout out to my son Trevor from Wet Floor Studios for creating this image for my final post. Be well, stay safe, and stay positive!
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