This year,however, is difficult for everyone due to the virus and the many life changing events that have happened- from losing a loved one to unemployment and lockdowns/quarentines being put in place.
Little did I realize last year to the day that the "really bad case of flu" that was going around then would be so much more serious. I didn't take it seriously until the theme parks here in Southern CA all shut down and we went into a total lockdown afterwards.
So,this year, I'm asking the question for all of us: how do we keep our spirits bright during such a challenging time?
Times of stress mean we go counter intuitive in our habits. When the lockdown happened last March,and the reality hit me as to how serious this was,I quit playing instruments...for about 3 months. It was weird- like it would've been improper to play during such a serious time. That was a mistake. to continue playing would've given me comfort,got my mind off things and relaxed me. So.here's what I'm proposing for the rest of December and into 2021:
If you see a ukulele you want and it's in your budget,by all means get it! Treat yourself and fill your inner well with joy. If you're happy with the ukulele(s) you have now,,then look into getting some songbooks you've been wanting and learn new songs or new to you techniques.
Subscribe to Ukulele magazine. It's informative,entertaining and keeps you connected to the uke world in general. (no,I'm not affiliated with them in any way at the time of this blog entry)
Start Zoom getherings with your uke playing friends so you can see and hear what you're all up to!
Make videos for family and friends so you can share while socially distancing! (and for your relatives,this will be a bit of family history to be passed on)
Attend online uke fests if you can. Learn from others. Keep yourself in the loop! (I'll be posting about online fests coming up)
Meditate. Yes,you read that right. You won't need your uke for this but meditating has a ton of health benefits and is proven to reduce stress. There's a lot of streaming guided meditations online you can listen to while getting into the flow. If you pray,combine that with your meditation practice.
Body movement......yoga (including chair yoga) pilates (including chair pilates) dance, stretches,you get the idea. Whatever you can do safely and with your Drs permission,do it.- its especially important for those of us who work from home,or are home all the time. Even getting up and walking around every 30 min is beneficial.
Shut off the TV and take news in really small doses. Personally,I don't have a TV and haven't had one in the house in over 3 years. I don't miss it. My Dad,bless him,taught me a valuable lesson on how much time is wasted in front of the tube cause I used to watch it with him- from 5-nearly 11PM most nights. Yes,I enjoyed it at the time but started realizing how much other stuff I could've been doing like playing my ukulele,etc. Don't watch the news before bed.
I hope you find these suggestions helpful. Happy Holidays,everyone!