Woah! This COVID-19 outbreak is no joke, huh?
Who would have thought or even imagined that a significant portion of this year would be spent being stuck at home all day, every day?!
Who would have thought that we would be the portion of history's humanity that would have to go through such a serious pandemic?!
Sigh.
There's so much to be sad about. So much to be hopeless about.
But you know what? I choose to be optimistic. Part of that means not watching any news about what's happening in the world. It's so much better for my sanity. I believe it's better to focus only on what finds me on Twitter or what finds me via someone having to tell me.
Part of my optimism also means coming to terms with the extra hours that I have in my hands.
As ironic as it may sound, I am excited! I know it sounds awkward considering the circumstances. But hear me out. I am excited at what I can do with this strange period in my life.
What can I learn? What can I create? What can I reset? What can I improve on?
All of these are questions in my head. And all of them excite me.
In answering them, I have come across a bunch of amazing things online that I would love to share with you. Things that have kept me busy during this self-quarantine period. I am hoping they'll add a bit of sparkle to your days too.
1. Hello Blinkist!
Allow me to introduce you to the best app EVER! My absolute fave at the moment.
It's basically a collection of audio non-fiction books- both summarised and unsummarised.
Just in case you didn't already know, non-fiction is my drug genre of choice. So this app gives me all the fixes I need and it gives them in AUDIO form which is super beneficial for me.
I'm so in love with this app because it allows me to get non-fiction knowledge from books that I would not necessarily want to read in full. You see, I am greedy and my time in this lifetime does not allow me to be able to read all the non-fiction books possible. So Blinkist's blinks (usually 10-15 minutes long) are the next best thing!
You can get started with a 30-day free trial then move forwards with a $5 a month subscription which is absolutely worth it. Full books come at a price almost similar to Audible's.
2. Brain Rules by John Medina
Although I'm hooked on Blinkist, I still have a long list of entire books I'm currently reading. From that list, I'd like to highlight one of my faves: Brain Rules by John Medina.
Why do I love it?
Well, because it's all about the brain!
I'm kind of obsessed with psychology and neuroscience so this book is perfect. It makes the geek in me very very happy. Medina makes the content really easy to digest by using lots of analogies and it helps that he has a good sense of humour. It's such an enjoyable read.
Grab it if you have the slightest curiosity about your brain and how it works.
3. The Bumblebee Quote
So the other day I was scrolling and reading through some articles on Medium when I came across the best quote of this part of the year. I read it and it hit me in the gut right away.
I'm not sure if that happens to you. Gut punches. I get them with quotes, books, movies, TV shows and songs.
So this gut-punching quote is by Mary Kay Ash, the founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics. It goes like this:
“Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn’t be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn’t know that so it goes on flying anyway.”
Such a simple quote right? But it packs a punch!
Here's how I interpret it. A lot might be working against you or you might think that a lot is working against you. In such a situation, what you should do is keep on going. You should simply keep on doing your thing and soaring high. Don't let any alleged limitations stop you.
Be the bumblebee.
4. Stephan Speaks and Lewis Howes
This one's a video. A long one. But one full of wisdom.
If you don't know Lewis Howes and his YouTube channel or podcast, then you are missing out on a lot. He always has amazing discussions with exceptional guests. One that I particularly love is this one with Stephan Labossiere a.k.a. Stephan Speaks.
Stephan is by far one of the wisest people I've heard speak about relationships and this interview with Howes is one of his best.
Yep, no need to say it.
You are welcome.
5. My Pomodoro-Dancing Trick
Since we are all sitting around in the house A LOT during this crisis, there must be a creative way to add in some body movement or a little exercise while working, right?
Well, I came up with one.
This trick involves using dance within the Pomodoro time management technique.
Pomodoros are 25-minute intervals of work interlaced with 5-10 minutes breaks. So what if during the breaks, you could dance to some music to get your blood flowing?
According to studies, making some body movements every half an hour or less helps with your metabolism and kills off the "seating is the new smoking" spell.
This little trick is not just in my head. I have tried it and it felt really good. After just one dancing session, my posture improved and I generally felt more energised while getting down to business.
You should totally try it!
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There they are. Five amazing discoveries these past weeks.
I hope they'll allow you to learn more, believe more or be more. Stay safe!