It’s a brand new week, and we seem to be settling into home life okay. To be honest, I was a bit of a homebody before it was the thing to do, so I can say with confidence that I’ve learned to be content at home and can often find joy in even the mundane moments. While social distancing has taken the meaning of “homebody” to a whole new level, and we are experiencing those moments of wanting to again go out to socialize and enjoy a good meal and do something fun away from home, we are choosing to focus more on the good, right where we are.
It’s a weird season. There are things happening in our communities and world that can be scary and surreal, but I encourage you to continue to choose worship and prayer over worry and fear. We’ve had our moments of feeling sad, disconnected (even with social media), worried, and frustrated, but overall, we’ve had peace and calm. I am beyond grateful for a God who is present and still at work, and am listening more intently to what He is saying in all of this.
So, cultivating joy in every day is where we are at. Finding routines and rhythms that work for you and your family, staying plugged into Truth, and disconnecting can be helpful in increasing your creativity and clearing your mind of worry. Focus more on good things and good news! Remember we are all in this together.
Outside of the regular walks and bike rides, here are a few ideas/ways to cultivate joy at home:
- Bake something easy that you love! It may be a little bit of a challenge to find a ton of ingredients right now, so work with what you’ve got! We made Rice Krispie treats.
- Be still. Tune out the noise and sneak away to read your Bible and pray. This is good for the soul.
- Sit down with an ice cold Coca Cola (or coffee or tea) and read a book that’s been on your “To Be Read” list.
- Paint your nails while watching a classic movie: Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Singing’ In The Rain, You’ve Got Mail. Something that makes you smile.
- Get active! Derek teases me, but I love these 8 minute videos from the 80s – arms, legs, buns, abs. He actually did one workout with me, and it was so fun! Also, this video for stretching and this one for low-impact cardio.
- Clean out and reorganize your closet while listening to a great playlist. (I usually ask Alexa to play Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong, Phil Wickham, or Beach Boys radio.)
- FaceTime your mom or grandmother and make a favorite family recipe together.
- Set out a picnic blanket and have lunch in the backyard, or on the front porch.
- Play games. We like Monopoly, Clue, and Scrabble.
- Dress up and make dinner together.
- Make s’mores and settle down under the stars.
- Count your blessings.
Any other ideas for cultivating joy at home?
