Dear Diary, a day to day look at self isolation

[quirkywords]

Hi

I have gone into self isolation . I will be alone and not seeing any friends or family.

I know we have other threads, but I would really like people to share their day to day thoughts and activities:

the highlights

the fun things

the frustrations

he things you can change

I think each day it would be good to share On thing that surprised me to day.

I would like you to share your ideas because it will help us all work out how.

So here is my first entry bit will be back later.

Dear Diary,

Day 1

I am not sure whether I am excited or a bit unsure.

I know I will need to distract myself and hide the chocolate biscuits.!!

I have a list of what I want to do but I think it is too ambitious.

One thing that surprised me was how much noise I like to have when alone. This may change.

Quirky

[quirkywords]

hello everyone,

White Rose

Thanks for telling us about your day.

have so many times discovered the obvious and wondered why it took me so long.

Thanks for explaining how the isolation affects you, I am glad you have many projects you can do. I had so many boxes full to make scrapbooks from, and lots of bits and pieces for collages, but that has gone and this is now. I have started knitting again.

WanderingAround what a compassionate soul you are . I am glad writing here helped. Please feel free to post anytime you want to, it is great to read tohougts of how people cope day by day.

Pepper how about we scrap fun and you add your own title.

[White_Rose]

Quirky, I love how you always have something positive to say to everyone. Despite my best intentions yesterday was not good. However .....

Highlight. Today I feel much better, more energy and eating without nausea. Who said life was stressful?

Fun. My current cross stitch project. It's another lady in the bath to complement my picture here. Half done.

Frustrations. Lost my email access and need to go online to read and reply. Not my idea easy reading. Frustrated when I remember I cannot just go and visit people or go shopping. I order my groceries online which are delivered. At least I am at home to receive them.

One thing I can change. Remember that I have got through bad times before and I can do it again. Takes a bit of effort though.

One thing that surprised me. That at last I have mastered getting and reading my emails online.

Pepper, I can relate to that shut in feeling. I can go for a walk but it's never been a favourite occupation. My daughter visited me and cleaned up my patio so that I felt comfortable sitting out there when it gets warm there. My daughter is the only one I have physical contact with as she drops in to check up on me. Other children talk by Zoom/FB etc and I can chat with grandchildren, so all good.

I think one of the frustrations to staying at home is not knowing how long it will last. It seems it will be several months at least and giving an end date is not really possible. We all know it's easier when we know how long but this is very different. Pepper, keep your chin up and remember it will pass. Gosh that sounds trite so I hope you know I mean it from the heart.

Please keep safe everyone.

Mary

[Nico_B]

Hello everyone!

Great thread idea 🙂

It's only 2pm but here goes...

Highlights: waking up next to my partner, having an indulgent morning routine,
Frustrations: bad weather, injured shoulder limiting my movement, overate at lunch
Fun: cooked a yummy lunch for the family, shot a 20 second video of me dancing for my friend's b'day 🙂
1 thing I can change: not getting consumed by technology
1 thing that surprised me: how a person I've just met has been so generous with their time/guidance

Nico

[WanderingAround]

Hi All,

Peppermintbach, thanks! It did soothe it and your words helped as well. Putting my thoughts in words is such a great exercise for me. It forces me into materialising what I am feeling or thinking. It also helps me reflect on them and understand if what I wrote is really what I mean or makes any sense at all (also it helps me practice English, I'm not a native English speaker).

Highlights: I helped someone from my team to understand that helping someone is way more important than following procedures. It's not as simple as that, as I don't want people to ignore rules in my team, but they need to understand that more than following rules, we need to ensure we're doing the right thing.
Frustrations: My partner went back to work today from mandatory annual leave. While we are happy my partner still got a job and a paycheck, it needed commute. It would be so much better if it was possible to work from home. Still, this is not really a big frustration, considering how hard things are.

Fun: I found out my headset blocks low volume music. I like listening to classical music while working (who can explain it?) so today I was able to listen to music the whole day (also, it was not possible to do that with my partner home).

One thing that surprised me: How much, everyday, I come to look for time to be present in this forum.

And trying to bring a little fun, I challenge the next person to name their favourite colour.

[quirkywords]

Hello everyone

Nico, thanks for sharing your day and hpe you will again when you want to.

video of dancing how joyful. It is interesting that many people are turning to home made cooking.

I am glad you have met someone to guide you.

Mary .Thanks for reminding us we have got through bad times before and will again. You have shown how strong and resilient you are so do not doubt yourself.

WanderingAround, I enjoy reading your daily post, it has calmness and wisdom. I enjoy coming on the fourm and reading what others are thinking.

one thing from today I tried to avoid conflict but wonder if there is a price. People then see you as not being loyal but being angry with others never achieves much.

[Peppermintbach]

Hi Quirky & all:

I hope it’s okay if I first address the people who mentioned me 🙂

Mary: Thank you so much, your post moved me. It sounds like it has been hard for you too.

I’m glad your daughter can still visit, & that you’re keeping in touch with your other loved ones via technology.

Thanks again for your strength & gentle encouragement. It’s appreciated 🙂

Wandering Around: I’m glad putting your feelings/thoughts in writing helps you.

I think you express yourself beautifully here.

Quirky (& a wave to Nico & all): thanks for giving us the freedom to play with the titles. You’re very generous.

Today:

Highlights: I know this must be so repetitive but I’m grateful for my job

Frustrations: the usual...

Opportunities: I have been thinking that I need a strategy or plan moving forward...I’m really struggling with social isolation (I think that much is obvious laughs)...

But I read something online recently, which suggested that searching for some form of personal meaning (or at least something meaningful) can help us during the pandemic, as opposed to just filling our time with a haphazard assortment of activities & distractions (just for the sake of filling time).

The question remains: how can I find meaning, as opposed to distractions, during the pandemic?

Right now, I don’t know, but hopefully it will come to me...

Kindness and care,

Pepper

[Elizabeth CP]

I have been busy & struggling with motivation. The restrictions mean I can't get some of the support I could normally. This means I'm not able to post very regularly. I need to balance time posting with other demands but I will share yesterdays experiences.

Highlights: See opportunities
Frustrations: husband's coughing fit while he still tried to keep eating. He said later he was hoping the next spoonfull would push the other food down and stop the choking!!! I removed food and expressed my frustration with his behaviour. Covid 19 makes these incidents more scary as we can no longer get face to face visits with GP to check his chest & his specialists have told me to manage him at home rather than go to hospital because he won't get the right treatment ATM.
Opportunities: Yesterday I received a call from the office of our local federal politician asking if we were OK and what we needed. After getting over my surprise I decided to use this to express my concerns re response to Covid 19. She thanked me and said she agreed with my concerns and would forward it to the politician to consider and she was getting someone to get back to me re aspects that directly impacted us. I hope this leads to the government thinking of the big picture.

What an I change I need to ensure I prioritise walks

[quirkywords]

Elizabeth thanks for your post. The virus has affected your life so much and you have a lot to cope with.

I hope the politician will really listen to you and people who have real concerns like you.

Pepper I like opportunities as a heading. The way you go threw your thought process else

me think about opportunities. I find when people say to see a meaning in something bad I have experienced, I find that really hard because it feels to painful to even try. I suppose it takes time.

Everyone is encouraged to join in, no guidelines just express what is happening today or recently for you. Have a whinge a rant or just list what is happening.

[Emmen]

Hello all!

I just found out about this thread and it sounds like something I need to do.

Highlights: Feeling the warmth of the sun as I sit by the window
Frustrations: Going through yet another dull workday routine
Fun: I read a chapter of a novel this morning
One thing I can change: I should be better at managing time (especially the essential work), instead of procrastinating
One thing that surprised me: I didn't expect this, but I actually feel a bit more motivated to start the day proper now that I've written this down.

Cheers,
Emmen

[White_Rose]

Hello Everyone

Many thanks for all the great posts (especially the replies to me).

WanderingAround It's amazing how different our thoughts become when we write them down. This is one of the reasons for keeping a journal because we need to make fairly concrete statements rather than a bathe in an indeterminate emotion. Keeping a journal is also good for reflection. I usually say to those who keep a journal, don't reread your entries for at least a month, preferably longer. It's very often surprising to see how far we have come since we first started writing. I know I have read my old entries and can only be amazed at how much has happened and how much I have changed. It's a good self-checking mechanism.

I also like listening to classical music. As soon as I get up I put the radio on and listen to ABC Classic Breakfast. I love the presenters and am in awe of their musical knowledge.

Pepper Thanks for your comments. I suppose it would be good for all of us to find some meaning in our lives regardless of the present circumstances or any other circumstances. One of the worst parts of illnesses such as depression is being unable to find a meaning in life. Of course there is no motivation when we are depressed which makes it all the more essential to fins meaning.

Not sure exactly what constitutes meaning and I suspect it is different for everyone. Maybe it's growing the best roses or growing enough vegetables and fruit to feed our families. Perhaps having a couple of neighbours who need shopping done for them. I think it's something outside ourselves that gives us pleasure inside. Maybe it's knowing that the (paid) work we do is helping people in the community. Perhaps being part of a community such as church or a volunteer organisation. Interested in your thoughts.

Today's frustrations. Trying to get an answer from Microsoft and Optus why I cannot access my emails. Aargh.

Highlights. Eating a bar of marzipan, otherwise know as almond paste which gets put on Christmas cakes. Mmmm.

Today's learning? Getting out in the sunshine helps fight the miseries.

Keep safe everyone.

Mary