Did the COVID-19 pandemic cancel your travel plans or force you to go back home early from a trip? A lot of us are currently in the same boat. Wanderlusting about places we should be right now or were planning to go soon. But fear not, believe it or not, this too shall pass. The world will recover from this pandemic and we will be able to freely travel again one day. It may take a while to get back to how it was before, but it is important to remember that our current situation is not our final destination. ❤️  

For the time being while we are practicing social distancing and staying at home, I wanted to offer some ways that I am coping with all of this. One of my favourite parts about travel is experiencing new and exciting things every single day. Being at home all of the time makes this difficult. These are just some little things that have been helping me get used to being home/not traveling. As well as, coming to terms with coming home from Italy earlier than planned & not being able to travel more of Europe after Italy.

Routine

While I usually absolutely despise routine, in situations such as these, I think that they can actually be quite beneficial. A routine can help to make you feel as if you have some control and balance in your life despite what is going on in the world. My “routine” isn’t anything too crazy, just simple things that I do at similar times throughout every day. For example, in the mornings I typically eat breakfast, drink a cup of tea and then do a workout or yoga. In my afternoons, what I do varies depending on what I feel like doing that specific day – watch a tv show, do something creative, go for a walk, etc. However, I always end my days by writing in my journal before I go to bed. I have also been using my daily planner and writing in things to do each day. My “things to do” are quite basic and all done within my house, I just write little things such as, “read book, clean closet, go through clothing, do ____ workout, do yoga, do puzzle, work on next blog post, research for jobs, etc”. It has oddly enough made me feel better about everything that is going on. I feel as if I have some control over my days & even if I don’t get everything accomplished that I wrote down, there is always the next day to do it! Overall, having a plan and a routine has definitely benefited me, so give it a try and see how you feel after a week of doing it. However, as I will discuss next… we do not always have to be productive with all of our time at home!

Productivity vs. “Laziness”

I think being stuck at home (this is a negative statement – rather we should say we are safe at home!) has made a lot of people feel, including myself, that we should always be productive with our days. I don’t currently have a job so I can’t necessarily relate to being productive in the job sense, but I still feel the need to be productive rather than just spending my day in bed watching Netflix. I think this is my mindset because productivity is constantly being bombarded at us, by all the home-workouts and creative outlets being offered. So now when we are “lazy”, we feel like this isn’t productive and therefore, the wrong thing to be doing with our time at home. However, it’s important to remember, there is no right or wrong way to be spending your time at home. I think the most important thing right now is to just listen to yourself and your body and do whatever you feel will make you feel happy/content on that specific day. Self care is vital right now and self care can and SHOULD be lying in bed with a glass of wine (or any beverage of choice – literally whatever you want!) and binging a Netflix show. Some days will be productive and some will feel as if they are not and that is 100% ok. It is ok to not be completely ok during this time – and any time for that matter. 

Considering I was living in Italy and I was constantly on the go for a long time, being at home all of the time feels very strange to me. Especially because I am a person that likes to keep myself busy – often with working a lot of hours. Something that has helped me is just listening to myself, as I said before. If I wake up in the morning feeling not so great, I don’t necessarily stick to my routine, I do more things throughout my day that I know will cheer me up. Such as, watching baking/cooking shows, drinking tea, doing a face mask, doing a workout, yoga/meditation, listening to music, reading a book, having a hot shower & getting some fresh air (whether it’s a walk or just sitting in my backyard). These are just little things that have made my days safe at home better. Everyone is different obviously, but my main point is, you do not have to be productive all the time. Listen to yourself and your body and do whatever YOU feel YOU need from this time safe in our homes.

Some fun suggestions for travel related things to do from the comfort of your home:

• Create a memory/vision board from a past trip AND/OR for a future trip

• Buy a travel scratch map to display on your wall – available on Amazon: Luckies of London Scratch Map Travel Edition (USLUKSTRA) – they have 3 different sizes. The one I have is the smallest (and cheapest!)

• Print photos from past trips and make a photo album
• Find a new way to display your souvenirs from past trips so they are visible to you everyday 
• Make a travel bucket list (places to visit/things to see)
• If you’re feeling extra creative and like to take videos while traveling, make a video of your travels (iMovie on Macs is super user friendly)
  • Doesn’t have to be professional vlogger style, even if it’s just for yourself – it is fun to see all of your video footage put together! 
• Plan your next trip for the future
• Read a travel inspiring book (I just read “The Lost Girls” and absolutely loved it) – available on Amazon: The Lost Girls: Three Friends. Four Continents. One Unconventional Detour Around the World.

I have Amazon Prime and have been receiving all of my orders within 2-3 days after ordering, super fast and reliable (however, this could be differ for you – so just be patient with your orders, as Amazon is prioritizing essential orders right now!) You can order just about anything on Amazon – it’s a great way to shop to limit your outings and STAY HOME! It’s the perfect time to sign up for Amazon Prime’s FREE 30 day trial! Click the banner below to sign up for your FREE trial and order anything from essential food items, books, electronics to puzzles!

Start Planning Your Next Trip!

Even if we don’t know when we’ll be able to travel freely again, that shouldn’t stop you from researching and planning your next trip! However, it is probably best to wait to book flights/accommodations. Always planning my next destination definitely keeps me motivated and excited for the future. Even though we don’t know when this is all going to be over, this can be something for you to look forward to. Plan and research for that trip that you’ve always wanted to take. Even if you have to wait longer than you’d like and save up money, planning a special trip for the future is bound to excite you for what is to come & realize that this will eventually pass. 

Be Thankful

Lastly, something that is so simple yet so often overlooked in times like this is practicing gratitude. Be thankful for your safety, health, your family & friends, the frontline workers, and everyone that is putting their wellbeing at risk for the greater good. This is not an easy time for anyone, some substaintly more than others, so just be thankful for everything that you currently have in your life. Just remember that we WILL get our freedom to socialize and be with our loved ones back! In good time we’ll be able to do all of the things that we once took for granted. I know I definitely took my freedom to travel whenever I wanted for granted. I’m thankful for all of the memories that I’ve made traveling so far and I look forward to a time when I can travel freely again. 

In addition, use the amazing technology that we’re so fortunate to have nowadays to reach out to your friends & family to check in on them. This is not an easy situation to adapt to, but with many ways to connect virtually, we can continue to be there for one another. 

I hope that sharing how I am currently coping with this (very surreal to me still) global pandemic, helps anybody that is currently struggling. You are not alone! We are all in this together & this too shall pass. There is a light at the end of the tunnel ❤️  

Thanks for reading xoxo!