Looking Forward

So anyone else waiting for the announcement that says this whole thing was just one big elaborate April Fools joke?? 

Well, until that announcement comes, we are here to help you make the most of a difficult time, we’re all surviving this crazy time together! We know the sudden change to life can feel overwhelming. We have self-isolation, social distancing, AND everything is cancelled for the foreseeable future.  Worst of all, we all miss our friends and family!

BUT, the good news is, this isn’t going to last forever. We WILL get through this and have SO MUCH more reason to celebrate and travel! Right now we need to focus on looking forward to better times and to make sure to take care of ourselves.

Over the next few weeks, we will be spending a lot of time at home, so make the BEST of it! We have to remember to take care of ourselves and self-care comes in many different forms these days! Here are a few of the things that have been helping keep us distracted from the news and happy while spending our time at home. We hope this inspires new ideas and creativity to brighten up your day!

#1: Explore a new app – TikTok

Okay okay, before you go thinking I’m asking you to learn a dance or lip sync to a song, hear me out. TikTok has become one of the most popular apps as of recent, and there are many good reasons why! TikTok is a creative space for anyone and everyone who wants to be a part of it. The app has really evolved since being Musical.ly. What we love about this app that differentiates it from Instagram or any other social platform is that everyone has an equal chance of going viral. The “For You” page, basically the home feed, is a mix of videos crafted specifically based on what TikToks you have previously saved or liked, and completely random videos. This could include everything from recipes in under a minute, funny pet videos, home renovations and comedy that radiates serious Vine energy. TikTok is full of real and genuine people just sharing their knowledge and joyous moments of everyday life! It is an app that is only a place for fun and happiness and positive energy. The only downside to watching TikToks is that you’ll never want to stop!

#2: Have a (virtual) Houseparty

Self-isolation and social distancing have us all feeling that separation from our friends and family, which is really what we all need the most right now. To solve this problem, we’ve been loving the latest group video chat app, Houseparty! This app is similar to Zoom or Facetime, but the app’s unique features, including the ability to leave video voicemails (called Facemails) and play games like Heads Up and Quick Draw make it stand out. Another unique feature is that it shows you what chats your friends are in and who else is in them. You can join any chat with your friends, and it also allows friends-of-friends to join any open chat. For those who don’t like this feature, you can “lock” the chat room so only friends and those who are invited by people in the room can come in! 

#3: Get some exercise!

Even if we can’t get to the gym right now, or don’t have a workout partner helping to keep us motivated, it is important to remember how connected your physical health is to your mental health! During a stressful time like this, we can sometimes feel low energy. Believe it or not, expelling energy actually creates more of it! After a workout or a run or even a really long walk, you’ll feel a rush of endorphins and you’ll notice your mood become a lot better. It may be tempting to say “Hey, I’ve got nothing to do today” and park yourself on the couch with a bag of Hot Cheetos, but luckily we live in the age of technology that makes working out at home a lot less intimidating! Here we have compiled a list of our favorite at-home workouts currently being offered by training and yoga gyms, as well as the best fitness influencers.  All these workouts can be done with the equipment you already have and are easy to fit into your day! We suggest getting out for some fresh air as well, changing up the scenery from your living room is guaranteed to leave you feeling some slight relief from the constraints of social distancing.

305 Fitness: Originally one of NYC’s most popular workout classes, this stellar dance-cardio party workout is now being offered for free by founder Sadie Kurzban. These cardio dance live streams happen twice each day on YouTube at noon and 6 PM EST. Dancing is a great way to get a workout in because it breaks up the routine of going on runs and doing repetition exercises that can eventually get boring. The energy you gain from the workout helps elevate your energy for the rest of your day! Another great feature is the live chat alongside the workout, it helps you to remember that others are dancing and working out along with you! These workouts are set to a wide range of different themed soundtracks each day, including 90’s Throwback, Reggae, and EDM. Get your groove on!

Bandier: Bandier has recruited some of the best fitness influencers to host Instagram Live workouts every day at 4 PM EST that can be done at home. Each workout is typically 20-30 minutes long, so you can fit them into your day easily. The workouts stay fun and exciting because each workout is a totally new set of movements from each fitness expert! Since the workouts can be done using only what we have at home, the instructors will recommend using household objects to substitute for dumbbells and other equipment. It’s also motivating to see that the instructor is always following along with you and is likely the same burn as you are!

CorePower Yoga: Look, I totally get it, working out is not for everyone…myself included. If you’re like me and like a more chill and relaxed way to reach your daily exercise quota, CorePower is Yoga offering free streaming live classes for you each day. These workouts happen at 8 AM, 1 PM, and 6 PM daily meaning there should be at least one session that works for your schedule! The workouts are 75 minutes each, and includes “Body Weight Sculpting” exercises as well as a meditation. If you don’t want to commit to 75 minutes out of your day, we recommend choosing either the sculpting or the meditation portion depending on what you feel your body needs that day. Remember that working out should be enjoyable! A highlight of this workout is the instructors that bring such great energy and help you take a step back from life for a second and recenter your overall health. For those who are not members, CorePower is still providing free access to a limited collection of online classes available weekly.

A few other ideas for helping to find and maintain your chill at home:

• We love meditation! There are so many great apps such as Headspace and Bloom that can be an especially handy resource right now. They mostly offer a week free trial to get you started. There are also a lot of great meditation experts on free platforms like Youtube, Facebook and TikTok. A great tip to help find the right meditation for you is to try searching depending on the circumstance you’re in, for example: “5-minute morning meditation” or “10-minute meditations for before bed”.

• Find new ways to get active and be creative in other ways that connect with your interests! We put together this list simply as inspiration and motivation and a jumping-off point. This is the perfect time to step outside your comfort zone!
• Check-in with your loved ones, especially your grandparents. Everyone needs to spread the love right now!

Remember that you aren’t going through this alone right now, this is affecting the entire world! It’s so important we make time to reconnect with our friends and loved ones, remember to laugh and have fun and practice mindfulness throughout this time. Most importantly, please do your part and stay at home. Unless you are leaving to get some exercise or to help your parents with groceries and essential tasks, you have a responsibility to help end this as soon as we can and flatten the curve! By doing so you are protecting all those around you and quite literally saving lives. Last but not least, remember that no matter how much it sucks right now, there is a light at the end of the tunnel and we have so much to look forward to! Summer coming up, that’s one thing this situation can’t stop from happening. This summer will have all the more reason to prioritize making new amazing memories with your friends in the most beautiful weather! We hope that these tips make this all just a little easier, and remember we’re all in this together!