Tag: hobbies

Family Life, Guest Blog Posts, Healthy Lifestyle Choices, Living Your Best Life North of Forty and Fifty Plus, Mind Body Spirit Connection, Whole Body Wellness

Guest Post Embracing Silver Linings of the Pandemic

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Embracing Silver Linings of the Pandemic by Emma Grace Brown

New jobs, careers, lifestyles, ways of learning, and uses for technology alike have all arisen from the global pandemic. In these unexpected and unconventional times, many people have done what they can to build healthy habits during COVID-19 lockdowns.

The great news is that as you begin to embrace a new normal, those who’ve learned to balance work and play, picked up new hobbies, found a new appreciation for friends and family, or worked on new goals have a lot to look forward to. Whether you’ve learned to embrace nature or returned to school for an advanced degree, bringing these new interests and skills with you post-pandemic is a great way to set yourself up for a healthier you.

Mother Nature and Fitness Trackers

For many, the pandemic has afforded them the time to explore nature. Many people have picked up great habits, such as hiking and biking. Others have found a passion for outdoor travel and camping. If you’re like many who’ve become closer to Mother Nature, a fitness tracker or smartwatch can be a useful tool to track the progress you’ve made since picking up healthy habits and making positive changes.

Specific Changes to Carry Forward

The truth is that change is hard. Many people are struggling with their mental health, are grieving, or are experiencing anxiety about the future. Even good change can cause someone to feel stressed or experience symptoms of anxiety or depression. While it’s perfectly normal to feel down during a global pandemic, research shows that embracing healthy habits and engaging in self-care can help.

Consider changes you’ve made since the pandemic, such as eating healthier, getting regular exercise, making the most of family time, or being more engaged with your child’s schoolwork. These are all great habits you can carry forward. Whether you’ve created a new space in your home that you love or vowed to support small businesses, these changes will matter in the future.

Making Habits Stick

If you’ve decided to form new habits, create new goals, and set new priorities, make them a permanent part of your future. It’s not a good idea to return to work and the “old normal” without bringing with you those positive activities and interests you’ve worked so hard to develop during the pandemic.

As you return to work, school, or old schedules, build in time to engage in the things you’re newly passionate about. If that means scheduling daily walks or weekend hikes, go for it. You’ll thank yourself down the road. Not only will keeping good habits help your overall physical health, but they’ll add up to great ways to cope during the challenging times ahead.

Embracing Healthy Habits

At the end of the day, no one can change the fact that you’ve been impacted by the global pandemic. However, by embracing a healthy lifestyle and carrying it past the pandemic, you may enjoy a more productive future.

 

For more about Emma,  click her to visit her website

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Living Your Best Life North of Forty and Fifty Plus

Make the most of your second act, your way

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One of the best things about being a north of forty-plus woman, is still having choices when it comes to the second act of our lives. If you’re a woman who doesn’t have dreams of being an entrepreneur, but you’re not ready for a rocking chair, there are still many options that are just as fulfilling.

Mentorship

If you’ve worked in a traditionally male-dominated field, such as engineering, architecture, telecommunications, and internet technology development, to name a few, you can begin mentoring young women who have an interest in these fields. You can help them learn how to navigate their careers from an educational standpoint to real-life advice on how to deal with working in a mostly male workplace. Moreover, mentorship isn’t limited to careers, if you are a part of the LGBTQ community or an ally, you can assist young people who may be struggling with their sexual or gender identity. Helping them come to terms with their reality and helping them find the right words to share this news with their families can be a godsend. You can tutor them through high school, help prep for the SATs, and advise them when it’s time to go to college or a trade school. Moreover, if you have a background in karate, judo, or boxing you can teach self-defense and life skills to be safe. Members of the LGBTQ community are often at a greater risk for violence, knowing how to defend themselves in a smart and effective way can be the difference between getting hurt or worse.

Teaching

If you’re a painter, writer, or dancer, you might want to get into teaching your art. You could be the next female Bob Ross of art instruction. Many communities offer adult education at local high schools or libraries. You can help someone bring out their inner Picasso or Monet.  Dancers can do the same thing. Teach ballet to kids or head a fun tap dancing class at a senior’s home or assisted living. Writers can start workshops to help budding authors find and fine-tune their literary voice. This is a great way to teach others what you know, and it’s a way to keep your creative juices flowing.

Volunteering

Whether it’s a hospital, school, church, or community center, they all welcome volunteers. Volunteers are the life’s blood of organizations like food banks and homeless shelters, that have to raise money in order to keep their doors open and pantries stocked. More importantly, it will help to stay connected to the community and perhaps see a side of it you weren’t aware of.  It’s also an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others and gain a sense of accomplishment and pride.

There are health benefits derived from volunteering. According to the Mayo Clinic there are six main benefits to volunteering:

Decreases the risk of depression.

Gives a sense of purpose and teaches valuable skills

Helps people stay physically and mentally active

May reduce stress levels

May help you live longer

Helps you meet others and develop new relationship

Pursue Hobbies For Fun

If you don’t want to get into mentorship, teaching, or volunteering full-time, you don’t have to. You are allowed me-time. If you enjoy scrapbooking, knitting, sewing, painting, woodworking, cooking, or baking for fun, there’s nothing wrong with that. Spending time on activities that you enjoy can also improve your mental health and wellbeing. Studies and research have shown that people with hobbies are less likely to suffer from stress, low mood, and depression. Activities that get you out and about can make you feel happier and more relaxed. It’s a total win-win.

The point again is that you have options for your second act. If you’re still working full-time, pursuing another degree, or maybe you’re on the road as a singer with a band, enjoy it to the fullest. Working on becoming the next Martha Stewart, keep going for it. There is no right or wrong way. All you have to do is remember to make like Nike and just do it.

Sign up to stay informed about new blog posts, articles, book excerpts, authors, bonus recipes, and women in business profiles, the schedule for our Still A Chick-Lit Podcast, and so much more.

By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
For more information on the health benefits of volunteering https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/helping-people-changing-lives-the-6-health-benefits-of-volunteering