Enjoying a Shut-In!

This weekend has given many on the East Coast an opportunity to relax at home due to a major storm that has come through. Pittsburgh received 21 inches and my family in York reports more than 2 feet.

I love times like this. It reminds me of those few times in my life we’ve had significant snow falls. It also allows us to stay at home and enjoy time unwinding, reading, talking, cooking, etc… all those things we say we’ll do but never seem to make the time for. (This is assuming you are comfortable and have heat and power.)

Some people find this time really unnerving. They are so used to being on the go they have no idea how to stand still. They are uncomfortable with too much time at home.

If this is you, I strongly encourage you to create an environment that will help you enjoy the time more in the future. You can try the following to ease the discomfort:

 Fill your space (home) with things you enjoy: books, games, scents, dvds, a yoga mat, a treadmill, favorite recipes (with the associated stock to make them)
 Ensure you have access to emergency materials should you need them (blankets, candles, a battery powered radio)
 Keep a list of home-bound projects you’ve been meaning to get to
 Start something new… write, draw, paint, sing, dance…. So something that is out of your norm but may prove enlightening and even allow you to discover a new passion
 Call a friend and spend more time on the phone than you can remember doing in years (after all, there is nothing pressing pulling you away)
 Plan your year…. Vacations, goals, finances….

I personally enjoyed spending one of my shut-in days in my pjs… all day. I read everything from books to magazines. I cleaned up a few shelves that needed attention. Snuggled with my husband. And, played with the dogs in the snow. I cooked and did a little, very little, cleaning… come to think of it; it was a typical weekend for me. I’ve gotten pretty good at doing things I enjoy and not working every minute of the day. The only difference was not being able to jump in the car and run an errand. That library book will get back there one day…. No rush.

Enjoy your shut-in time. Its natures way of bringing us back to focus.

And, then you can enjoy the outings all the more. Join me at Oakmont Library this Tuesday evening. See a previous blog post with all of the details and link.