Wouldn’t it be cool if there was one key to surviving this table turning pandemic? Unfortunately, there is not one thing we can do that will fix everything. Fortunately, when periods of multi-layered stress hit, we can choose to focus on one thing at a time.

I hear some variation of “I’m so tired of this” multiple times a day. The coronavirus pandemic has forcefully impacted just about everything–our income, our childcare, our social habits, our fears, our delights. One thing I notice across the board is shifts in people’s experience of the mundane and the novel.

The pandemic has opened the door for many to slow down the pace of over hurried lives. Throughout this distancing adjustment process, so much has been simplified in people’s day-to-day. Now, there are a lot of benefits to simplifying our lives and we have seen a lot of people reflecting on how strangely nice it has been to spend more time at home and learn how to be comfortable with less stimulation.

As this goes on, I get concerned that less stimulation is turning into no stimulation…that we are transferring our habits of going on autopilot from one cause to another. Before the pandemic, we were over stimulated and could not possibly pay attention to everything in front of us. So we had to set ourselves on cruise control for survival. Now, our autopilot settings are surfacing because there is literally nothing new in front of us…ever. We crave routine and structure in this pandemic life but are coming out of our skin with the intolerable take over of the mundane.

So! Want to try an experiment with me? I’m going to work on doing one thing differently each week for the next month and see what happens. The goal is not to get jolts of high stimulation. The goal is to reintroduce the novel into our weeks. Join me! Here’s some ideas I have:

• Explore somewhere new. Maybe some abandoned place nearby that you’ve heard is covered in cool graffiti and perfect for taking pictures.
• Have a block of time unexpectedly free? Do you have a Rita’s nearby (it’s a Maryland thing–think shaved ice). Take a quick trip to get a cold sweet treat.
• Pack up your morning coffee and enjoy it at your favorite nearby spot.
• Choose one method of communication you don’t usually use and reach out to a friend or a family member.

Share your ideas and what you’ve tried over on instagram (tuning.in.wellness) or on facebook (@TuningInWellness).