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.

Reversal of Attitude

My friend Tara can attest to this. In my late teens, I used to hate going over to someone’s house to “watch a movie”. That was in sharp contrast to years before when Becky and I would spend every Friday night at her place watching one- after going to the high school football game of course.

Why did I hate it so much? I figured I could watch one at home if I wanted to do that- why go elsewhere?! And, I suppose I opted for other alternatives. After all, now you have a car, a license, and the freedom to go anywhere you want. (“Those were the days!” Isn’t that what people say?)

Fast forward to today, 2009. Rob and I can be found “living up our Fridays” at home in a fierce game of Scrabble. In fact, twice this week I’ve been engaged in “scrabble-related” conversations with business colleagues. We’re considering a friendly game in the months ahead. And, a few weeks ago at my wedding, a group of people (unknown to one another until that weekend, by the way) gathered on their last night at the Greenbrier to play cards together.

Attitudes change. Mine has. We can spend hours discussing why and how, but I think the important point is that it’s okay. It’s okay to change your mind. It’s okay to all of a sudden like something you hated. It’s okay to want to do something differently. It’s more than okay, in fact, its highlighting that you are a free-thinker and not controlled by the past.

I still don’t love sitting down and watching television or movies. I get fidgety (mind and body). But, I enjoy doing it occasionally with people who love it- because of what it means to them. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll be yelling “movie time!”