As we enter the third week of this forced isolation because of COVID-19, I am sure many of you, like me, are trying to find ways to not go stir-crazy with cabin fever.
My saving graces have come in the form of a pair of things that I’ve spent time with in the past, but have now discovered to be incredibly therapeutic given the circumstances.
I’ve always considered myself a fan of and appreciator of music, of all genres. One of my new favorite pastimes, since I can’t stop getting up at 6ish AM for some reason, is to toss my AirPods in, and just let Spotify do its thing. I’ve coupled this with hot coffee, breakfast, and a match-3 gem game on the Switch, and let me tell you, it’s an amazingly calm way to start a morning.
The title above is a lyric from a song by M.I.A. It instantly stood out to me when I heard it while listening to her unique brand of hip-hop, alternative, electronic, dance, and world music before the sun comes up. In a time where everything seems like it’s a downer, I’ve actively chosen to filter out negativity from my day to day. Not necessarily to outright ignore it, but to notice it, recognize it, and let go of it instead of “picking those scabs”. (Shout out to everyone who read my other post, “Regeneration”, look at me scaffolding connections!)
One particular artist that was near and dear to my heart long before our societal shift to social distancing is Sia, the incredible Australian singer/songwriter. Aside from her music, I’ve absolutely identified with her struggles with depression and anxiety, and how she’s come out the other end of it to create some of the most empowering music and lyrics I’ve ever experienced. Her music videos feature Maddie Ziegler (check out Chandelier, Elastic Heart, The Greatest, and Cheap Thrills for more Maddie awesomeness), and usually tell a great story just through the lyrics and the dance interpretation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzXyYqSYkIk
That song in particular affected me big time. The lyrics are particularly poignant to me considering her unique and some would say off-kilter voice and her struggles.
And I don’t care if I sing off key
I find myself in my melodies
I sing for love, I sing for me
I shout it out like a bird set free
Also, how about the fact that her This is Acting album is mostly made up of songs she wrote for other artists that chose not to include them in their albums. She made an album out of her own rejected songs!
If there was ever a metaphor for making the best of a situation, to make lemonade from those lemons life gives you, it’s that. I am sure that a lot of us are in a rough, rough state right now mentally, (and maybe physically as I’m working my way towards the Quarantine Fifteen), but I’ve found that the music I listen to and the realization that I should focus on the things that are under my control have helped me immensely in terms of a day to day survival.
So here are some unsolicited recommendations from me of artists that you should check out if you want to inject some energy into your days:
- Sia (particularly her new LSD collab with Labrinth and Diplo)
- M.I.A.
- Sylvan Esso
- Chvrches
- Lorde (her latest album)
But maybe, just maybe, you’re already vibrating at a high level, either due to stress, anxiety, or just a default setting. Maybe you need to go the other way and slow things down a bit.
Enter my saving grace numero dos, books.
I have found so much solace in sitting quietly, reading, and being still. Books are definitely a form of escapism, and news is getting progressively more and more depressing and negative. So instead of following CNN’s live feed for minute to minute updates on the coronavirus situation, I’ve thrown myself into Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Erik Larson’s new book The Splendid and the Vile. Add to that some of the other books I’ve read this year, Stephen King’s The Gunslinger, Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus, and Mark Manson’s The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck, I’ve definitely been to a lot of different places in the last three months.
Nicolette and I have spent a lot of time sitting in our car down by the marina to soak up sunshine and turn a bunch of pages. It has felt like getting out and about without really getting out and about. Spending time reading for a chapter or two, and then just looking up at the lake, the mountains of Vermont, and the seagulls stalking us, have been cathartic for sure.
So, unsolicited book recommendations? I thought you’d never ask!
- The Book Thief, Markus Zusak
- The Devil in the White City, Erik Larson
- Isaac’s Storm, Erik Larson
- The Light Between Oceans, M.L. Stedman
- The Time Traveler’s Wife, Audrey Niffeneggar
- The Martian, Andy Weir
- The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky
- The Name of the Wind, Patrick Rothfuss
- A Darker Shade of Magic, V.E. Schwab
- 10% Happier, Dan Harris
That’s a sampling of my favorite books I’ve ever read.
Now, whether or not you take any of my advice or recommendations is up to you, but if you only take one thing/main idea out of this post, I hope its the idea that we should try our damnedest to attend only to the things that are under our control. Get yourself some music and get yourself a good vibe going while you’re doing dishes, doing laundry, drawing, crafting, lesson planning, or whatever else it is your filling your time with during this self-isolation! When it’s quiet time, grab yourself a good book, make a cup of tea/decaf coffee, wrap yourself in a blanket in a comfy seat and get lost in the pages of the magical land of somewhere else, self-improvement, and/or pursuit of knowledge.
These are two things that we can absolutely control in our environment when the world outside seems to get more and more out of control on a daily basis.
Just remember:
When you try to control everything, you enjoy nothing.
Choose instead to enjoy the things that bring you happiness, solace, and make you feel safe.
You won’t be sorry.
everything, etc. 