Advice on how to survive the quarantine written by an Introvert for her Extrovert Friends
Dear Extrovert,
My friend, first let me say that I know this is hard for
you. But I have some advice that might
help you get through all the social isolation.
I feel that the key to surviving life in general is to not feel trapped
by it. So, as we are all forced to stay
home and feeling a bit trapped, we have to find ways to liberate
ourselves.
Make staying in your choice.
The first step is to make staying in your choice. Open your door, poke your head out and find a
reason you don’t want to go outside after all.
Lean out your door, and before the sense of longing for the outside
world can set in, tell yourself “I’d have to put on pants to go out, I think I’ll
stay in today.” Or perhaps it’s raining
outside and really looks miserable. Tell
yourself that staying in with a cup of tea is the most preferable option.
Now that we come to that Give Yourself Options.
Having options is one of the things we miss most about being
stuck indoors against our will. Find
several occupations/projects/activities for yourself and then decide not to do
some of them, this way you don’t feel you are doing any one thing because there
are literally no other choices.
Sometimes coming up with really terrible chores is the best way forward. I could work on scouring the entire bathroom,
or I could watch this movie. It might
make you feel better.
You may not be able to go out and see friends, but you can
still connect with them. Not only are
there a variety of ways to video chat, you can also call or even write a
letter. Maybe it’s time to sit down and tell
your friends how much they mean to you.
Find different ways to check in so you don’t feel like there’s no option
and no way to be social. Even for your
video chats, have a dance party together, or have dinner together, or have an
art class together.
Do Silly Things Without Fear of Judgement.
Turn up the music real loud and listen to that one song you
love over and over again. Or add a
little humor to your normal mix and sing Staying Alive really loudly to
yourself in your pajamas (they now pass for day wear). Sing along at the top of your lungs even if
you can’t sing.
You can dance around your house in a combination of outfits
you would never wear outside and feel free in the knowledge that nobody will
see it or judge you. Don’t be limited by
comfort (though do indulge in that as well), wear everything neon or froofy you
can find together. Wear a ballgown to
your own solo movie premiere. Because, why
shouldn’t you? If you’re feeling bold
you can send photos or videos to your friends and encourage them to do the
same.
Escape the Here and Now
No really, there's a reason we all love to consume media, social or otherwise, it's the escapism.
There’s a million ways to escape reality for a bit. Try a few of them. Read a book that’s got nothing to do with
today or your normal daily life. Watch a
movie you’ve been meaning to get around to for ages.
Join a silly online challenge, like wearing
pillows as dresses for quarantine couture.
Or even join a silly facebook group such as “A group where we all pretend
to be ants.” Find something unusual you’ve
never done and revel in the novelty of it from the comfort of your couch. You can share it with all your friends online
too.
Tons of places are offering new ways to be involved
online. Concerts and Broadway shows are
being made available. You can call up a
friend and watch one together. You could
take an art class. The other day I went
to an art class via a Zoom
meeting and did a paint along acrylic painting.
Start a Big Project (Or Finish One)
If you are at all like the rest of us, you probably have
three major projects you’ve been meaning to do for the last 5-10 years and
never have time for.
Guess what? Now is the time!
For my family it is hanging up fake tin wallpaper on our
ceilings to look like a Victorian tin ceiling.
It’s going to take ages, but luckily, we have lots of time.
There is time to take online classes to learn that language
you always been wanting to learn. You
can start writing that novel you’ve always put off. Learn knitting or finish a cross stitch.
Finish any number of little projects that got
shuffled into a corner with the advent of more pressing things.
Start painting more like you’ve been meaning to for
years. Start doing a journal or writing
if you’ve been meaning to get around to that.
Find a Way to Be Helpful.
Last of all, find a way to give back to your community as you
are kept safe by first responders and essential workers. If you aren’t at risk, you could volunteer to
drive for a local food bank or volunteer there in general. You could bring groceries to neighbors. If you are at risk, find other ways to be useful
from home. You could just be there as a
listening ear for friends having a rough time.
You can get social time in and feel more connected while you help. If you can sew and have fabric, make masks
for neighbors and friends, or donate them to the local food bank or to first
responders.
Keep in mind that you are doing your part, reminding
yourself of this as you go crazy on your own feeling cooped up will help make
it bearable. You’re staying in precisely
because YOU DO CARE about people.
Love,
Your Introvert Friend
P.S. If it all gets to be too much, it is still ok to run
around your house crazily shouting for no reason. Honestly, we will all understand.
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