What to Do While the World’s on Hold
So here we are. Millions of people in the U.S and around the world are finding ourselves at home for the foreseeable future, sheltering in place, practicing social distancing, and asking ourselves, “What do we do now?’
If this were a snow day or a public holiday, I would enjoy the feeling of having some quiet time at home. But I’m finding it much harder to appreciate this hiatus in the current swirl of uncertainty and anxiety about the coronavirus. So I started thinking about ways to keep my worries at bay and channel my creativity.
I started picturing the inviting books in my to-read pile and a small stack of notebooks waiting for my words. These images brought back some of my favorite memories of days spent with our young children. My daughter would gravitate to art supplies, pull out a box of colorful markers and paper and bring new artworks to life. My son would pick up a toy guitar and make up a song or write a story, complete with lots of sound effects.
If you’re also at home, wondering what will happen next, now can be a good time to begin that book you’ve been wanting to write, or rescue a manuscript you’d started long ago from a drawer.
It may not be easy to focus right now with a full household and disrupted routines. However, if you set aside 15 minutes to write daily, that may get your creative juices flowing and provide an escape from the events currently enveloping us. You’re likely to feel more inspired as you find your writing rhythm and watch the words unspooling.
If you’re home with your children, why not start a family writing project? It can keep children occupied with a fun activity and polish skills that they’ll use all their lives. Do you enjoy telling stories to your kids at bed time? If so, what about grabbing a pen and paper and capturing one of those stories? It may turn into a series that can expand as time goes on.
My husband used to spin stories to our daughter about three little fairies (starring her and her preschool friends.) It became a cherished nighttime tradition which went on for a few years. They both wish they had written them down. Take advantage of this time to capture your family’s stories.
Does one of your children enjoy writing or drawing? Invite them to take the lead on this project.
One of my author clients is a doctor who just coauthored a children’s book about a therapy dog named Gus. His son drew the illustrations for this story. Their book, Gus Works for Kisses, captures the joy Gus brings when he visits patients and will be a treasured keepsake for the doctor and his son. Wonderful memories can be made with family collaboration.
Give yourself the freedom to express yourself. Whether you decide to keep a journal, write about the here and now or explore new fictional worlds, I hope you’ll find some release in connecting to your creativity.
We have very little control over our lives in this current chaos, but we do have control over our actions. You may find it healing to take a break from the notifications dinging insistently on your phone and let your imagination loose.
Which writing projects are calling to you? Please share your ideas to inspire others.
#ShelteringinPlace #Amwriting