Most of you reading this are experiencing a drastic change in your personal lives. Whether we are at the frontline or not, it is important to admit that all of us are experiencing stress. This has been a very trying time and to think otherwise, is misleading.

Four weeks ago, I came home from work, mildly anxiety ridden and shaky. I had been listening to the news and imagining the worst possible outcomes in my mind. Being away from parents and having loved ones all over the world makes the pandemic especially frightening.  This is when I realized, that it is imperative to stay away from negativity and panic. It is simply too easy to get swept up in all the hysteria.

Here are some of the things I am doing to #staypositive and would encourage you to try, should you need to:

Cook

Never learned how to cook? Maybe now is the time. I began cooking out of necessity in dental school and slowly, came to love it. I find following a recipe, no matter how intricate, to be great for stress relief. This weekend, I’m all set to prepare a Mexican Fiesta for my small family of two; shrimp ceviche, tacos de carnitas, salsa rojo, salsa cruda and guacamole- recipes courtesy of Gabriela Camara from www.masterclass.com. Needless to say, my husband and I are excited!

Take an online course

You probably know that most courses on https://www.coursera.org/ are free. Additionally, there are several dental continuing education (CE) seminars that are either free or heavily discounted right now. Dr. Bhatia from www.courekarma.com has a blog post up with a detailed collection of the latter. This is a great time to explore what’s out there and add tools to your toolbox. Personally, I signed up for a course on Social Entrepreneurship on Coursera, and a few CE courses from the Washington AGD. 

Read books

Last week, I read a book about a Somalian immigrant’s journey to the United States. In it he describes how he survived many years of civil war, political upheaval and starvation before a stroke of luck led him to move to the US https://www.callmeamerican.com/ I broke into tears mid-way through the memoir because I was reminded of my privilege. It is comforting to know that some books have the power to transform you. They can take you to another place, give you a fresh perspective and teach you a thing or two along the way. Head to my Goodreads account if you’re looking for some inspiration: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/30632314-sampada-deshpande

Call an old friend

I honestly feel a lot closer to my friends now than I did when I was busy working. I also find myself re-kindling my friendship with several old friends. If you haven’t yet gotten on to the group video call trend going around, I encourage you to try! Each FaceTime call is sure to leave you more uplifted than the last.

Exercise

You knew this was coming some time or the other, right? Especially after mentioning the Mexica Fiesta! My husband and I have been going for a short run every day since the last 2 weeks. Getting some fresh air into the lungs, witnessing the sunset and sharing our thoughts on our walk back has been one of the more relaxing activities of the day. If it is particularly late and we don’t feel like going out, we practice yoga at home. Head to my teacher’s Facebook page to begin practicing today: https://www.facebook.com/AhamYoga/

I hope this has been helpful! If you want to see more content like this, leave a comment or send me an email. Thank you and #stayathome!