We’ve already written about ways to take care of your mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic - whether it’s continuing to connect with your counsellor through virtual sessions, making sure you get your information from reputable sources, or even just limiting your social media time.
Now, more than ever, is a time to try to practice good self-care. We can’t help but be heartened by all the ingenious and creative ways we’re seeing folks adapting. Here are some (free!) ideas:
Now, more than ever, is a time to try to practice good self-care. We can’t help but be heartened by all the ingenious and creative ways we’re seeing folks adapting. Here are some (free!) ideas:
Exercise at Home
- OneYoga is offering live-stream classes through their Instagram page.
- Ocean and Crow yoga is also offering live-stream classes through their Facebook page.
- Yoga with Adriene is a long-time favourite, and has a huge library of yoga classes on Youtube.
- Do an online dance class via Studio North’s live-streams or join an online dance party (or just dance along on your own).
- Attend a yoga session or workshop with Vancouver meditation coach, Kendra Coupland.
Mindfulness & Meditation
- Kristen Neff and Chris Germer are offering a 3-part video series called The Power of Self Compassion.
- Many folks are offering free live-stream meditations
- Sharon Salzberg every day at 9am on Youtube, with a focus on loving kindness meditation.
- OneYoga at 12pm everyday on their Instagram page.
- WippWellness at 4:30pm everyday on Zoom.
- Have you always wanted to check out Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction? Palouse Mindfulness offers the course online.
- The Awake Network has a comprehensive list of meditation resources ranging from short meditations to free half-day retreats.
Different Kinds of Entertainment
- The Vancouver Public Library has an extensive digital library with access to e-books, audio-books, newspapers, courses, and more! Scribd is also offering 30 days of free access to their libraries.
- Did you know you can watch live cams at the Vancouver Aquarium? (Watching the otters float is particularly soothing).
- You can also take a virtual tour of Yosemite National Park, look at the Vancouver Art Gallery's current offerings, check out the Musée d’Orsay’s online exhibits, or walk through the Uffizi Galleries.
- Missing live music? Billboard has created a list of musicians doing live-stream and recorded concerts you can watch at home. NPR also has an extensive cross-genre list they’re updating regularly.
- Watch one of the movies from this round-up of Twelve Films that Highlight the Best in Humanity.
- Catch a musical - Andrew Lloyd Webber is posting one of his musicals every Friday on Youtube.
New Ways of Connecting
- It can be easy to feel isolated when you’re mostly connecting with folks over text. The Peak Resilience team has been using Zoom - not only for virtual sessions, but also to connect, see each other’s lovely faces, and check in. Anyone with a phone, tablet, or computer can use their basic plan!
- Bummed that your RPG group is on pause? There are online platforms like Roll20 to facilitate online sessions. You can also play Settlers of Catan for free with your pals!
- Esther Perel’s blog post How to Engage in Social Connection While Socially Distancing also has some great ideas around staying connected while maintaining physical distance.
Learn Something New
- Brush up on your high school French (or learn a new language!) with Duolingo.
- Learn how to code for free with Codecademy.
We’ll continue to update this list as we come across new ideas - as always, please get in touch with us if you have any questions or suggestions (or you can also offer anonymous feedback through our survey). We hope you all take good care of yourselves and each other.