Just incase you need some inspiration to get you started on things that you could use your self-isolation time for….. Here is a list of some of the things I am currently up to in my iso-time. Please know that none of these are paid posts, just things that I have enjoyed and always like to share in the hope others enjoy them too.

I’d love to hear from you and what you are doing during this time – hit me up at [email protected] or @eatingyourcaketoo on Instagram.

And remember.....cut yourself some slack on days that you don't want to do anything.  We are all experiencing a roller-coaster of emotions right now. Allow yourself time to sit in these feelings when you need to. Ignoring them will not serve you in the long run.

Books I have recently read…

  • The Monk who sold his Ferrari – By Robin Sharma
  • The Courage to be Disliked – By Ichiro Kishimi, and Fumitake Koga
  • Leaders Eat Last – By Simon Sinek
  • Not just Lucky – By Jamila Rizvi
  • Crushing It! – By Gary Vaynerchuk
  • Jab, jab, jab, Right hook - By Gary Vaynerchuk

Next on my list…

  • Freakonomics By Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
  • Drive By Daniel Pink
  • Presence By Amy Cuddy
  • Coaching for Performance By Sir John Whitmore
  • First we make the beast Beautiful By Sarah Wilson
  • This is Marketing - By Seth Godin

*** If you have suggestions for any MUST-READ books for me, please shout out… I am all ears ***

Podcasts I am listening to….

New things I am learning or trying….

  • Daily Meditation – Due to limited WIFI on the boat we are on I have downloaded a couple of playlists from Spotify that range from 3-minute guided meditations through to 20 minutes. I’ve found these to help immensely with any stress or anxiety that I might have at the moment. They also give me space on my own each day to just be and to feel whatever I need to in that moment. The one day I did not do it, I really noticed a huge difference to my mental state. Just search “Guided Meditations" in Spotify playlists.
  • Getting joy from going slower..... With the world having all but shut down at the moment, we have a great opportunity to slllooooooowwwwww down and try to get joy out of the small things. The things that we usually would do whilst multi-tasking 4 other activities at the same time. Things like sitting and looking out at the sun out the window whilst having a coffee, instead of the usual coffee on the run, whilst scrolling Facebook, whilst cooking breakfast, whilst watching TV. Just sitting and enjoying the small things.
  • Baking – I have learnt how to bake bread from scratch (it also seems the rest of the world has too!) and honestly did not think I would ever get joy out of it, but I do. Watching people enjoy something you created is a great feeling! Next is to try different kinds of delicious baked goods!
  • Sailing – This is part forced, part choice (LOL!) given we are living on a yacht right now, but I have decided to really lean in to this one and give it a good go. I have started watching YouTube 101 sailing videos to kick start my knowledge and then get to do the practical hands-off stuff with my brother who is a great teacher.

Shows I have watched on Netflix....

  • Self-Made – Inspirational series set in the early 1900s about Madam C.J Walker and her hair care enterprise. If you don’t get a kick up the butt after watching this, nothing will!
  • Miss Americana - I didn’t think I would enjoy this as I am not a huge Taylor Swift fan (please don't click unsubscribe if you are!). I got alot out of  it though in terms of the pressure that people put on themselves to be something that they aren’t. To be something that they think society wants them to be. And then they loose out anyway.
  • Inside Bills brain – Decoding Bill Gates - MUST WATCH!

Things I am actively trying NOT to do….

  • Consume too much social media or information online about Covid-19 and the current state. I have just started sticking to two keys websites to look for updates around CV, as well as keep up to date on any regulation changes in Grenada (the country we are currently in) and that is it. I have learnt that exposing myself to too much peaks my anxiety and stress and often it may not even be accurate information.
  • Not have any direction in my day…. I try to have direction in all of my days and things that I want to do, even if it is something as simple as I am going to bake some bread today, or I am going to finish this book today and then write my summary notes on it. For me, feeling lost or directionless tends to trigger my anxiety which is easy to do when you have a lot of downtime, so for me setting these small goals ensures I remain motivated and enjoy small mental wins each day. If you want to get more sh*t done in your day, then check out my recent blog post about how HERE.
  • I also cut myself slack on days I don't do much.....We are in an unprecedented time right now and are all just doing the best we can, so on days where I do spiral and get upset, or experience more anxiety and stress than usual, I let myself do that. I let myself sit and do nothing if that's what I need to do in that moment, and I refuse to feel guilt about it.
  • Stress about things outside my control… I cannot change the current situation we find ourselves in. What I can do is my part to ensure I follow direction to stop the spread. Therefore, stressing about things is only contributing to unnecessary panic for me and those close to me.

Hopefully some of these give you a starting point for some of the things you can do to stay positive at home… If you have anything that you are loving doing right now, let me know because I might just like to do it too!!

Finally, embrace your quirks. Embrace your weirdness with new hobbies. Lean into everything - especially whatever you might be feeling on any given day.

Take care, stay safe and healthy!!