While there are definite hardships during this time of Covid-19, many people are appreciating their time together and having some unexpected positive experiences.

As we are all sheltering at home, which is difficult, there are silver linings. While some people report that they feel stuck at home, others are settling in and beginning to speak about the positives. Many folks have gratitude for just being healthy and for having the ability to work from home and feel safe. There is the security to be home and having the family together.

There are many positives about having the family together. Many people are saying they are playing more games with their kids and watching movies together. Families are cooking and baking together and enjoying the time they don’t usually have. Some people have even said their teenagers are leaving their rooms to participate in family activities, whether that’s walks or runs, or cooking projects. Life is a much slower pace.

Being at home, and being on a slower pace has also helped many people connect, even if it is on Zoom. I’ve heard many people say they are speaking to friends and family more often and have reached out to old friends and distanct cousins who they’ve not seen or connected to in years. Zoom and Facetime have made it easy to reach people. Office groups are having Zoom cocktails and families are gathering to send birthday wishes. This is not to say that we all would prefer to see one another in person, but we can appreciate the substitute, and the fact that more people are participating in meets than would usually have happened in life.

This coronavirus crisis was certainly not anticipayed and we were not prepared for it. The situation offers us a challenge to be positive and accept what is. Research has shown that people who have a positive attitute are generally happier and more satisfied with their lives. There has been so much written lately about to organize our lives at home, to have a schedule, take a shower, eat well and do some exercise etc and we have a choice to whether we will heed the advice. Those people who choose to accept what is in a positive way and find projects at home that feel satisfying are enjoying more of a sense of well being.

To feel a sense of well being, it is helpful to be gentle with yourself. This may be a time to relax some standards, like keeping things very neat, or curbing screen time for the kids. Understanding that no one is perfect is a good thing to remember as we are all living with many constraints. And all living together may cause some irritabilities, as everyone is not used to being together all the time. We need to give others some slack too.

Setting goals to accomplish particular tasks is often helpful, but these goals should be realistic and achievable. With everyone living together 24/7, it may not be the time to write that novel, which requires hours of alone time to concentrate. Maybe cleaning out a closet is more feasible. Accepting life as it is now is the key. It will eventually change, though we don’t know when. But it will change, as the only thing that is guaranteed in life is change.