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Inspiration: The process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.

How have world events changed you since March 2020? What gifts, perhaps unexpected have you received due to the pandemic? I would love to hear about them.

What did the pandemic inspire you to do?

It doesn’t matter whether your changes were big or small…..whether internal or external. It is more taking advantage of this very long collective pause and focusing on the positives and inspirations that have occurred in your life as a result.

External Changes

Here are a few things I did: I started to seriously improve and declutter my house, to make it more comfortable since I was home more. Of course having three major appliances fall apart and break all at the same time did get me to make some changes very quickly, even during a national appliance shortage! I wrote my second Japanese cookbook – Easy Japanese Recipes for the Home Cook – which I hadn’t planned on doing so soon, but I was in the kitchen way more, so why not?! I continued with my Japanese lessons, which I had started 2 months before the pandemic hit. We just switched from in-person to via Zoom and have met regularly ever since. I taught myself Korean home cooking and have expanded my repertoire of Chinese dishes as well.

I also started making small steps to plant more in my backyard. My dream had always been to have a few fruit trees that I wanted, versus what had been planted decades ago by the previous owners. So far, that includes a Meyer lemon tree, a fuyu persimmon tree, and assorted herbs. That’s been fun and while I wouldn’t go so far to call myself Farmer Lucy (except in jest), I do enjoy puttering around out there, watering, weeding, and enjoying it. I find myself looking out the window from my home office to see what has grown overnight!

I also have developed a whole new community online through my virtual weekly Pilates classes; we all have ‘senior’ dogs who join in our classes, sometimes quite vocally!

Internal Changes

I keep reminding myself of my 2022 Zen word which is Spaciousness. How can I bring it into my life more? I have become less of a multi-tasker in some non-work aspects of my life: I realized I don’t need to be one 24/7. I am enjoying quiet and reflective time at home more, such as enjoying a cup of herbal tea before bed, reading and being in touch with friends all over the world more consistently via Zoom. I have gone back to manifesting,positive affirmations and meditating more regularly and frequently, which has become my steady ‘reset and recharge button.’ And, as I ask my clients, “I ask myself, what are you celebrating today?”

And I actually turn off my phone at night after I text goodnight to my college-age daughter who is on the east coast. A real life saver, allowing me to rest my ‘brain space’, set healthy boundaries for myself and my time, and definitely helps me to relax and go about my bedtime self-care routine with more ease and less stress. I truly don’t need to scroll endlessly on Facebook until all hours of the night, or check my emails. They will be there in the morning for me, no doubt!

So now as the world slowly opens up, now what? How can I carry my inspiration into my next chapter as an almost empty-Nester too? That is what I am pondering but also just allowing to come to me more organically and naturally. I have started travel planning again, something I haven’t done in over two years! Okay at this point, just in my mind, but it’s a start.

Have you thought about traveling again yet? Whether you’ve already been doing so or not quite yet, a mental vacation could be just minutes away! Be sure to sign-up for your free hypnotherapy vacation walk-through!