- Page 3 of 333 - Good food, good company, good advice from Grandma

Tips For Dealing With Fire And Smoke Damage On Your Property

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No one wants to ever have to deal with fire or smoke damage on their property, but accidents can happen, and suddenly you might have to deal with it. It’s important to know what to do in this situation, so here are some tips for dealing with fire and smoke damage on your property.

dealing with fire and smoke damage on your property — **Image Source**

Call A Restoration Company

First, it’s important that you have somewhere that immediately after the fire has happened in order to get the property assessed and evaluated. Calling a restoration company is a good idea because they’ll be able to go through all the options you have when it comes to getting your home repaired and back to normal. They’ll be able to highlight all the areas of concern but also anything that you might not be able to see. It’s a good idea to have this done sooner rather than later in order to avoid any further damage that the smoke might be causing as well as the structure of your home that might still be cooling down. The sooner you can get them out to visit the property the better, and it can also be good to have someone there to get the ball rolling so that you can get back to normal sooner rather than later, and have the fire and smoke damage repaired.

Speak To Your Insurers

Next, you want to speak to your insurers and this is also something that the restoration company is likely to do for you. It’s best to speak to them as soon as you can in order to make sure you’re valid when it comes to your insurance. This will be something to put your mind at ease to when it comes to what’s available to you in terms of the financial help you can get to restore and fix your home.

Find Temporary Accommodation

Temporary accommodation is something that you’re probably going to want to find if you think you’re in a position where you can no longer sleep in your home due to fire and smoke damage. It’s very unlikely that you’re in a situation where you can stay in your home, so firstly look at what accommodation you might be able to get with friends and family before taking out the option of renting an Airbnb, for example, or nearby hotel for the time being.

Try To Keep To A Normal Routine

It’s important to try and keep up a normal routine after experiencing a situation like this. It’s going to be hard to get through because a lot of your valuables and parts of your home are going to have perished. The emotional toll it can take is hard enough, but try to keep to a routine where you can. It will certainly help for you to get through it a lot easier than if everything was up in the air all the time.

Dealing with a fire or smoke damage on your home is something you don’t want to happen but when it does it can be challenging. Use these tips to help!

A New Home: How To Figure Out What You Can Afford

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Whether it is your first step on the property ladder or you have outgrown your old home and need a more significant property for your family, buying a new home is one of the most expensive purchases you will ever make. It is easy to overlook so many of the expenses involved in the process of buying and selling our homes. When we buy houses, many of us tend to look at the cost of the house and figure out if we can afford a mortgage. We balance what we expect to sell our home for, with what we will need to pay for the new house. However, the process of buying and selling a home comes with a lot more expenses than that.

The first step is to sit down and work out all the costs involved. This includes any charges you may have pay on your current mortgage. You will need to pay for the new mortgage to be set up and there are likely to be fees involved within the purchasing process too. Get these set out before you commit to any serious situation. Then consider the actual cost of moving. Will you need to hire a company to move your belongings? You should also think about new furniture that you might need for your home too. If you are buying a bigger property, then you might find you don’t have enough furniture to fill it. So there is another cost to factor in.

Decorating costs for both the home you are selling and the home you are buying. Unless you are purchasing a brand new home, then it is unlikely you will find a house that is decorated the exact way you want it. You should consider the yard too. Set yourself a budget for different areas. The cost of selling and buying. Cost of moving. Cost of decorating. Once you have a budget set for all of these areas, then you will be able to work out what the reality is when it comes to making your move. If you find that you aren’t in the position to move just yet, then you can create a timeline. Work through all the areas where you can start saving money to help give you a larger budget to make your move.

It’s imperative not to stretch yourself too much when you are looking to move. Even if you need a larger home to accommodate your lifestyle, if you push the boundaries of your finances too far and something goes wrong, then you could end up with substantial debt and lots of stress.

So, make sure that you have a plan for anything that could change in the future and that even with all the moving costs, there is still some money left in your savings to help you in the event of a crisis. Although it is one of the most stressful events of your life, it is also one of the most beautiful and exciting fresh starts you can get. Moving into your next new home is the beginning of so many new memories.

How To Throw A Barbecue While Practicing Social Distancing

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It is now possible to organize gatherings as long as the group does not exceed 6 people. That means you can now organize barbecues for your family and friends. This is great news for barbecue and food enthusiasts as they can return to grilling the old way. The only difference is that they have to maintain a six foot distance from one another at all times. This law is only effective for people from different households. People from the same house can mingle naturally. Regardless of the stipulations, we now have the opportunity to party with some sumptuous meat, while practicing social distancing.

Read on to know about what you can and cannot do to throw a safe barbecue party at your house.

Guidelines of The Barbecue

The big question every law-abiding, summer-loving, meat-eater is asking now is, “can we do it”? The answer is yes, you can have a barbecue as long as you follow the safety guidelines.

The following Guidelines are for your good and you should follow every one of them

Use clean cutlery and crockery
Don’t share tableware
Maintain social distancing if from different households
Don’t share food or drinks
Avoid going inside your host’s house unless to the bathroom
Don’t host the barbeque in a garage, cabin or shed
One person does all the cooking
Don’t host the barbeque at a playground or outdoor gym
Refrain from sharing chairs and tables at the party
Don’t stay over at your host’s house
Guests should avoid public transportation

Shopping For Your Barbecue

Now that you have the green light to organize a barbecue, shopping is number one on your to-do list. You must remember to be in order and uphold supermarket etiquette. You know the first rule by heart by now. Always practice social distancing and maintain a distance of six feet from others in the supermarket. If there is a big crowd in a certain aisle, it’s best to avoid it. The area should clear out soon, so be patient while roaming emptier spaces.

The next thing that you have to keep in mind is that you should not touch what you won’t buy. Only engage with products that you are going to purchase. This simple courtesy reduces the chance of corona spreading. Another thing to be kept in mind is not to make people wait behind you for a long time. They are probably after the same product that you are looking at.

That person might forget to maintain the six foot distance if he is waiting for too long. It’s best not to test that person’s attention span and social distancing manners. Lastly, be extra courteous to the employees who work in the supermarket. They are the true heroes in this global pandemic.

Now that you know how to shop, get yourself some A-grade meat, spices, and sauces. Other than the content of the menu, also get disposable cups, plates, and cutlery.

Get Disposable Tableware

You don’t want to use your cutlery, plates, or cups for the barbecue. So, while you are out shopping for meat, get plastic ones. Remember to get more than you need. After all, you never know if one of your guests could drop their plate or fork accidentally. Also, before the guest comes over, pre-arrange all the plastic cutlery and crockery. This will eliminate the need for guests to line up to get them.

Even if you pre-arrange all your disposable cutlery and crockery, there is still a chance of sharing. This cannot happen regardless of the circumstances. For this reason, instruct your guests accordingly before the event. Finally, wear gloves to dispose of everything and then get rid of the gloves too. There is no shame in being cautious when lives are at stake.

Who Should Do The Cooking?

When it comes to cooking, one person is enough. Do not allow anyone other than the cook to come in contact with the grill. In this case, too many cooks will inflict more damage than just spoiling the broth.

Who Can I Invite?

According to the new Guidelines, only six people can be at the same place at the same time. However, the rule is lenient about who you can be with. You can invite people from multiple households.

Although you can have people gathering from different households in the same place, they will have to follow the Guidelines. You can come in contact and be intimate with people from your home but you have to maintain a distance of six feet with people from other households. Practicing social distancing keeps everyone safe.

Don’t be sad, love surpasses any obstacle. Think of Romeo engaging with Juliet leaning from the balcony.

The Ideal Location For The Barbeque Get together

You can plan the barbeque in most outdoor locations. Hosting the party in parks or yards are within your right as long as you follow the Guidelines.

Other than public places, you can also have your barbeque on your front lawn. This is much better as it will eliminate the chances of strangers coming into the scene. I recommend that you have your get together in your front yard instead of your backyard. The reason for my suggestion is very simple. Your guests won’t have to enter your house if it’s in the front yard.

Remember that your actions are out of order if you barbeque in a playground or an outdoor gym.

Going Inside The Home of The Host

It is not at all a good idea to allow guests to enter your house. It does not matter how far they have come from or how close they are to you. Allowing them to enter endangers your entire family. You simply can’t let this happen.

There are only two exceptions to this rule when you may allow guests inside your house. The first rule is going to the bathroom. It would be inhumane not to allow your guest to use the bathroom.

The second exception is passing through your house to get to the barbeque location. However, even this rule should be on the NO list. You should not organize your barbeque party in your back yard or a similar location.

Should Guests Come From Far Away?

You should not invite any guest who has to travel too far. The reason behind this is, they have to stay over for the night. Furthermore, if they use public transportation, they might be potential carriers.

So, your guests should drive to your location. As for the people who live near you, walking or cycling is fine.

Final Thoughts On Practicing Social Distancing

Yes, you can have a barbecue and yes, you can have guests but you must follow the guidelines. Don’t try to take advantage of the guidelines. Be safe, enjoy sumptuous and tender barbeque meat, and have a great time with your family and friends. You can get together and have fun, while practicing social distancing to be safe.

Occupying Your Time During Lockdown

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Drastic measures have been taken over the past few months to try and slow the spread of the coronavirus. The local and federal governments have taken actions that include shutting down many businesses, canceling events, closing outdoor spaces (i.e. parks, beaches, theme parks, etc), and requiring that people remain at home. This is especially true for senior citizens and those with chronic illnesses or life-altering diseases as they are at higher risk of contracting the potentially deadly virus. With all this time at home, how are you occupying your time during lockdown?

Sheltering in Place Can Get Lonely

While remaining safe in your home is the wisest thing to do, it’s not the easiest. Being shut-off from your family and friends, unable to participate in activities you enjoy, and restricted from running errands to sustain a decent quality of life (going to the doctor, pharmacy, or grocery store), is stressful and lonely.

Constantly thinking about the current state of your life due to the coronavirus pandemic can cause a plethora of emotional issues including depression. The best way to sustain good mental health and ward off depression is to find ways to occupy your time. Continue reading for some constructive ways of occupying your time during the lockdown.

Take Care of Yourself

When you’re stuck at home with nothing to do, it can get pretty easy to “let yourself go”. You might stop showering or brushing your teeth as often, stop doing your hair, start stress eating, forego exercise routines, and essentially become a couch potato. Allowing this to happen, however, can have serious physical and emotional consequences. Occupy your time and keep yourself in good mental and physical health during the pandemic by taking care of yourself. Maintain a routine that includes showering, brushing your teeth, skin and hair care, eating well-balanced meals, taking vitamins and buying cbd oil for sale, exercising, and managing any health conditions you may have.

Indulge in a Hobby

You can really take your mind off of things and lift your spirits by having something that interests you to take up some of your time. Think about some existing talents or interests you may have that you’d like to give a try. Perhaps there was something you’ve always wanted to learn how to do, but never had the time. You could start a garden, learn how to paint, take up pottery, learn how to cook new cuisines, put together puzzles, or start sewing. Any of these activities is a good way of occupying your time during lockdown.

Get Things Done Around the House

If you take a second to look around each room in your house, there are likely things you can do to occupy your time while sheltering in place. Keep in mind, you don’t want to do anything too strenuous that could result in an accident or injury. If your attic or basement is filled with boxes of items you haven’t sorted through in years, you can start sorting through it, throwing away things you no longer need, donating things in good condition, and organizing the things you wish to keep. You can work outdoors and get some yard work done so you can spend time later enjoying your front or backyard.

Connect with Loved Ones

You may not be able to have the grandkids over, head to your senior community club, or visit family and friends, but that doesn’t mean you can’t remain connected. Whether you pick up the phone and give them a call, install a camera for video chats, send them an email or social media message, or mail them a letter, it helps to reduce the loneliness you may be feeling during these crazy times. It’s also a great way to lift their spirits as they’re likely going through a lot right now as well. Another activity is to relive the past! Meeting on zoom to discuss old family stories or share stories about the previous generations can be some of the best time you spend in front of a screen this year.

Right now, sheltering in place is the best way for seniors to reduce their chances of contracting the coronavirus. While it may be challenging and lonely, there are things you can do to occupy your time and lift your spirits. As you’re taking care of yourself, indulging in a hobby, getting things done around the house, and connecting with loved ones every day, you’ll start to notice a positive and healthy balance in your physical and emotional wellbeing.

7 Ways To Improve Muscle Mass and Strength As You Age

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Your body naturally builds muscle mass and muscular strength until around the age of 30. That is when many men begin to lose testosterone, and women start losing estrogen as the activity levels decrease in daily life. Significant changes continue as hormone concentrations shift between the ages of 30 and 60, and muscle loss is often the result of lower amino acid conversions. Here are seven ways you can help improve muscle mass as you age.

1. Exercise

Although running around the block is good for the heart, other activities are better for building and strengthening muscles. Lifting weights, resistance training, sit-ups, and push-ups are all good ways to keep muscles in good repair. Staying busy with daily routines such as yard work, household cleaning, and outdoor activities can also help you improve muscle mass.

2. Water

The body works hard to build and repair itself. To enhance this process, residual toxins need to be consistently removed. Nature uses water to cleanse the body of unneeded contaminants and pollutants and provide necessary energy access. That is why it is essential to stay hydrated as you build muscles.

3. Supplements

As your body ages, the amino acids that are critical for continued cell regeneration and healing become less available. Many people find taking an ipamorelin acetate or peptide supplement promotes the body’s ability to access growth hormones essential in keeping and developing muscles. Besides promoting lean muscle growth, it can also increase muscular strength.

4. Vegetables

Your body requires many macro-nutrients that you may have trouble providing if you want to build muscle. Folic acid, potassium, vitamin A, and vitamin E can all be found in abundance in these super-foods. They are also filled with fiber that is essential to building muscles.

5. Sleep

Your muscles re-knit themselves on a 48-hour schedule, and one way to allow the structures to recover is through sleep. Working your muscles stresses the tissues, but sleep permits the body to destress and replenish vital stores of energy and nutrients. Allow yourself at least seven hours of deep sleep a night.

6. Protein

Not all proteins provide the same muscle-building abilities when consumed. Although a thick hamburger may sound incredible, lean chicken and fish can provide better quality nutrients with less destructive saturated fats. You can also find high-quality protein in nuts, beans, and whey.

7. Fat

Although many people believe that fats should be restricted in a healthy diet, the truth is just the opposite. DHA and EPA are essential for vision, heart, and brain health, so make sure you eat nuts, fish, seeds, and olive oil every day. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats should provide 25% of your calories to ensure your body has all the food it needs.

You do not have to be a bodybuilder or strength-trainer to work on your muscle mass. Use the seven tips above to help build stronger muscles with more size. Staying active can help you fight muscle decline, but so can eating right and adding necessary supplements. You only have one body, so taking care of it can help your muscles take care of you.

Fashion Essentials for a Comfortable Summer

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Summer is fast approaching, and it’s time to take out your light, comfortable clothing, and breathable footwear. Although it can be tough to wear dressing that is both stylish and practical with sweltering temperatures, it’s not impossible. Here are some fashion essentials you should own for a comfortable summer.

Comfy sandals

Sandals are the perfect footwear for a hot day as they’re breathable, and you can wear them with any summer clothing. Whether you’re going to the beach, pool, or grocery store, you can wear a pair of comfortable sandals with ease. There are several options for comfortable sandals for women in summer, including heel sandals, slides, and flip flops. Whatever you wear depends on your style, outfit, and occasion. For instance, you can wear slides for any casual event.

Sunglasses

You can never go wrong with a pair of sunglasses during summer. They not only protect your eyes from vibrant sun rays but also add style to your outfits. With sunglasses, you can go for any design you want, e.g., retro frames, classic aviators, and round-famed sunglasses. Oversized sunglasses are also a common trend, and they can brighten up your look while making a bold statement. However, ensure they are the right fit, so you don’t have to keep adjusting them.

A ruffled dress

Ruffles can make your entire outfit dynamic, and they flow freely. The last thing you want is wearing something tight in extreme heat, as it can make you uncomfortable. Luckily, with one or two ruffled dresses in your wardrobe, you have airy layers and tiers that make them comfy.

Some of the common prints for ruffled dresses include:

• Neutrals

• Whites

• Pinks

• Floral

Whether you’re going for a dressed-up or casual look, a ruffled dress is the right choice.

Shorts

You can give your legs some air time with a pair of denim or linen shorts. Shorts are great for a day out at the beach or a casual lunch with friends. But, don’t wear tight-fitting shorts as they can get uncomfortable quickly. Instead, when shopping, go a size or two sizes up. Also, if denim shorts are too heavy for you, choose another type of fabric such as cotton, wool, or silk.

Maxi dresses

Although these dresses cover up your legs, they’re ideal for summer because they’re airy. They’re also incredibly flattering and look super chic. You can accessorize your maxi dress with different shoes and accessories such as a belt to cinch in your waist. Furthermore, you can pair a maxi dress with other clothing such as a denim jacket for an evening out. Maxi dresses come in a variety of patterns, colors, and sizes, giving you numerous options to choose from.

Straw hat

A straw hat is woven using straw-like materials or straw from different plants. It protects against heat stroke and sunburn. A straw hat is a must-own fashion essential if you plan to spend your summer days at the beach or pool. This is because it prevents sunburn and allows you to bask in the sun for hours. You can also wear your straw hat as an accessory, decorative element, or fashion piece.

One-piece bathing suit

Summers aren’t complete without a one-piece bathing suit for swimming or lounging by the pool. Get your one piece in a breathable fabric with floral patterns or in a bold color such as orange.

How To Reduce The Pain Of Osteoarthritis

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The older you get, the more knee and finger joints feel more like creaky rusted door hinges than working lubricated joints, especially if you suffer from arthritis. While some symptoms associated with osteoarthritis may inevitable, let’s look at how to reduce the pain of osteoarthritis.

What is arthritis?

Osteoarthritis is the degeneration of joint cartilage and is commonly associated with aging. The symptoms that it produces range from joint pain and stiffness to swelling and loss of flexibility. There’s no cure for osteoarthritis since you cannot reverse joint cartilage degeneration. You can, however, treat it.

reduce the pain of osteoarthritis — Image credit

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a very different type of arthritis and is an autoimmune disorder. While some of these tips might prove helpful for RA, you will want to seek medical help if you suspect you have RA as it can affect organs ranging from your kidneys to your heart, as well as your eyes, nerves, bone marrow, and more. It may even cause weight loss, so if you’re suddenly seeing the scale drop without reason, make an appointment with your doctor.

Treatment options for osteoarthritis

If you know for certain that arthritis symptoms you’re experiencing is that of osteoarthritis, you have a handful of treatment options to explore. Some of these will offer immediate reduction in pain and stiffness, while others may take weeks or months to see a real improvement.

Use CBD Oil to Reduce Pain of Osteoarthritis

In an earlier blog, it was mentioned that CBD oil can be a fantastic option to relieve some of the pain associated with arthritis, and may reduce inflammation over time. If you are looking for a remedy to start working within a week or two, CBD can be an ideal treatment. Before you start Googling it, yes, CBD is federally legal in the United States since it is a hemp-based product. THC, on the other hand, is still federally illegal to consume. There is evidence from a 2017 study that consuming CBD is a safe and helpful way to treat osteoarthritis.

Further anecdotal evidence suggests that the pain associated with osteoarthritis can be combated with the appropriate level of CBD. If you’re not sure what CBD oil to purchase for your joint pain, contact a local vape shop, or online manufacturer, to see how you could use CBD for pain. (And don’t worry, since CBD is not THC, you won’t feel any type of high when you consume it.)

Lose weight

While not glamorous or an over-night treatment, losing weight can be a substantial relief on arthritis if you are overweight. Reducing the weight on your weight-bearing joints, especially hips and knees, can help prevent arthritis from becoming worse. You’ll also notice other benefits if you are able to reduce your body weight, such as a cardiovascular improvement. Excess fat tissue also produces proteins that increase inflammation around your joints, which directly exacerbates arthritis symptoms.

Change your diet to reduce pain of osteoarthritis

Even if you do not need to lose weight, your arthritis symptoms may decrease if you switch out certain foods for healthier options. There are six foods that are directly related to flare-ups of arthritis, including sugar, excess sodium, fried foods, white flour, omega-6 fatty acids, and dairy. While this might at first glance seem limiting, with a little creativity, you can find some options to have a fun diet without adding to your joint pain.

Physical therapy

If your knees are feeling joint pain and stiffness, you would likely benefit from physical therapy. Your doctor can recommend a local physical therapist to help you improve your mobility and lessen your pain and stiffness while also teaching you various ways to perform tasks differently, such as sitting, standing, or going up stairs. By implementing new ways of performing old tasks, you’ll reduce the pressure on your knees or hips. Once you go to a couple sessions with a professional physical therapist, you’ll be able to do many of the exercises at home.

Some physical therapists may have you do hydrotherapy, which allows for gentle movements in water to help loosen your joints. If you’ve recently stopped working out because of associated pain, you may want to join a local pool. Swimming is one of the easiest exercises on your joints, and incredibly healthy for your heart and lungs. If possible, opt for a swimming pool that is heated since this will help with mobility.

Talk to your doctor

If you are finding that you’ve exhausted your resources, and are still not finding any relief from pain and stiffness, you’ll want to talk to your doctor about other options including pain killers, cold and heat therapy, acupuncture or even discuss taking Cymbalta, an antidepressant that has shown to reduce pain of osteoarthritis symptoms.

How To Prepare For Your Future Beyond Covid 19

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As news updates and official advisories continue to evolve, it might feel overwhelming to look beyond the now and consider planning for the next phases of the crisis and of your life. With so much information and a lot of it vague and confusing, it can make it hard to know where to start. So if you want to get on in planning your life and prepare for your future, what can you do?

prepare for your future — *Image by* *Mircea Iancu* *from* *Pixabay*

Look back at the history

While it is difficult to determine what will happen in the future as Coronavirus has caused unprecedented times, the only thing we can do is to look at what happened in the past when there were similar pandemics. Whatever it is you want to do in the future, you can see if you can find out what happened in the past. Did the economy suffer? What were the benefits? No one can predict the future, but you can learn from previous global crises and the impact they had. What is definite is that we will learn from this pandemic. It has highlighted the flaws in the healthcare systems all over the world; it has meant that we have seen problems with governments and leaders and shown us what we could have been doing better to prepare and prevent any future pandemics. Looking back, there are likely to be more lessons that we should have learned from already, and while we missed those, it is important that we don’t miss anymore. Look back at how the world recovered in the past and take lessons from that. Prepare for your future by looking at the past.

Consider a range of possible futures.

There are a number of different ways that things could change once the risk of COVID-19 has reduced, so it’s important that you think about a range of possible futures for now. It might be that you put off university for another year, and there are many positives of this; for example, at least you won’t need to worry about making FAFSA mistakes. But it also means that you will have more time, time to save money and time to really think about what it is that you want. Perhaps you weren’t on the right course, so not being able to continue as planned will be a blessing in disguise. You may find that you are made redundant from your job as the company you work for won’t survive. While this is very worrying for everyone right now, it’s important to know that it won’t be forever. The world will simply take time to adjust, but what will come out of this will be different. As restaurants have started delivering more food, people have had family parties on Zoom; perhaps these things will stay, and if so, there will be new businesses opening up new ways of working, and new opportunities to grab. Prepare for your future by thinking about new jobs or opportunities.

Avoid the temptation to try and predict the future.

It’s important that you don’t try to predict what will happen and work off that. If you do, it is likely that you will end up feeling disappointed as nothing ever works out exactly as you think it will, and that is what makes life interesting. Be prepared for different things, but otherwise, try to relax and go with the flow. Right now, there’s not a lot you can do, so take control of what you can. If you’re in lockdown with your family and it’s driving you mad, change your way of thinking and make the most of it instead. You probably won’t get the opportunity to spend so much time with your family again, so appreciate it, value it, and make some memories. This could turn out to be such a special time, and not only that but what happens now could make a huge difference in how the future looks for you.

Don’t expect to revert back to ‘normal.’

You cannot expect to revert back to your usual life as you know it. However, there will be a point at which life will begin to adjust to a new normal, whatever that may be. Things are going to change, and that is something we can be sure of. Whether it’s a change to how we shop for clothes, a change in how we visit the doctor, a change in how we eat at restaurants, life will be different. You might not like it at first, and that’s understandable, however, as long as you don’t expect everything to go back to the way it was, you will limit your disappointment.

Appreciate People

If this pandemic has taught us anything, it’s how important people are to us. When looking to the future, think about the people in your life and ask for their thoughts and opinions. Also, consider how the future will change for them. If you have children, how is this affecting them, and how will it affect their future? It might be that you’re looking at your parents and how things will change for them. Think about how life will change for everyone and not just yourself and appreciate that. We are all in this together. However, everyone is on their own journey and experiencing something different. But one of the only things we can control right now is our relationships without friends and family, so make sure you nurture and appreciate them.

Reflect

Take the time you have been given to look back at what you were doing before this all started, were you happy? If not, why not? While the whole pandemic has been tragic and many lives have been lost, it’s important to make the best of a bad situation, and the lockdown has given people a chance to reset and reflect. Use your time wisely now with what works for you. It could be that for you, this means making the most of time to rest and sleep; for others, it is the opportunity to exercise and to get fit, and for others, it’s a time to learn a new language or start sewing. Whatever ‘wisely’ means for you, this is the way to use your time.

Think about your purpose

Is it still the same as it was? Perhaps this pandemic has made you realize that you want to do more to help people, perhaps you’re now considering a career in healthcare or charity work. Perhaps you wanted to move away from your family and friends, and this situation has made you think twice about doing this. Perhaps you had grand plans to travel, but since the pandemic, you might be feeling uneasy about this, or you might have considered the effects that this will have on the environment, so have changed your mind. It is normal for your priorities and perspectives to change in times of crisis, so give it some thought. What was once important to you may not be now, and it is okay to change your mind. Prepare for your future by going back to school.

The new normal

In the new landscape which will emerge after the COVID crisis, you need to make sure that if you are going back to what you had before, it is the right option. It may have prompted you to revisit what you were doing and what course you were on. Whether it’s a new normal for your job, your business, or your family, things will change one way or another, and while it may take time, there will be a new normal, and we will adjust sooner than you think. This new normal may even be better than the old normal; it will certainly be safer and healthier for everyone.