A lot of clients have been sharing fun new hobbies with me and I've been so happy to encourage their explorations. I'm excited to see where they take these new interests and to prioritize trying something different.
I do a lot of brainstorming exercises with clients, and I always like to ask if there's 2 or 3 fun or creative hobbies they'd like to have or continually practice. It's been great to see a lot of people actually having time to restart solo or at-home activities since they are not going out as often. With shorter commute times, it seems like people have more hours in the day to play around and fill their creative sides. I wanted to highlight and share a few new activities shared by real clients.
-- Crafting and sewing --
I wanted to share a cute little sewing project from one of my clients:
Another one of my clients has been showing me some amazing crafts they've made. They said their secret was researching and getting excited about different new tools and technologies. They purchased a Cricut to make all these amazing custom print cards. Check out these two products if you're in the mood to play around with some new tech:
Cricut: at home printer that offers cutting plotters and computer controlled cutting. There are tons of templates on how to make it or you can create your own online and print it to life!
Cricut PC Foil Iron-On: there are lots of accessories and different patterns you can add-on but these are the ones I've tried.
-- Interior Decoration and Tidying Up --
No better time than when you're staying at home to tidy up your space. Multiple clients have told me they've done some decluttering and donation to clean up their area. A great way is to find your local Buy Nothing group to give away things that are still useable that you no longer need. Utilize the existing furniture you have and try re-arranging it in ways that are more conducive to your work from home. Buy some new furniture to liven up your space or find a new light to make working from home easier.
Here's a lamp that I really recommend and enjoy to brighting your space while being very minimal and space saving. Really interesting and customizable design.
-- Gardening --
Quite a few people have sent me photos of their gardens and plants- it's brought me so much joy to see people growing their own food. I do enjoy gardening myself so it's great to see people trying it out. It's quite sunny and hot here in the Bay Area which is good for growing fruits in the summer. Here's a photo of some newly grown champagne cherry tomatoes. Fruits are especially delicious when picked at home at the peak of their ripeness, so that is one of my favorite things about home fruits and veggies. Local gardening at it's freshest!
-- Cooking new recipes --
Cooking can take a long time- let's be honest, when you're tired from work you're not always in the mood to cook a 5 course meal. For those of us who are commuting less, we have a lot more time before dinner to care and prep for our food. I've loved seeing all the photos of new meal ideas and baked goods. Here's a little gem of some DIY vegetarian sushi handrolls.
-- Drawing and watercolor --
A lot of people aren't super comfortable sharing their artwork but just keep drawing and you'll improve. The more you draw, the more you'll feel comfortable. Most of your friends would probably be excited to see you share your art with them. If you're feeling especially shy but want feedback, you can easily create a free online portfolio on Instagram. Feel free to follow my IG as well instagram.com/baywellness, you'll even see a few of my old dance clips on there.
Here's a quarantine Instagram @fluffs.puffs that I helped encourage; drawings are made on an iPad Pro 2 and an Apple Pencil, but you can really use whatever medium you have at home that's convenient for you.
I really enjoy the Apple iPad + Pencil combo and it's so fun, might not be within everyone's budget but it's a great product! I'll make a video on that later on if folks are curious.
-- Working out at Home / Beginning a Meditation Practice --
Lots of people have been working out at home, myself included. Take a look at a few of the favorite programs clients have been raving about.
Yoga with Adrienne
Chloe Ting's workout
Fitness Blender
I've been doing a lot of meditation and stretching at home.
The best Yoga Mat recommendation I've received from yoga instructors and many hobbyists I know... is the Manduka brand! It's supposed to be a great non-slip, supportive, and long-lasting option. It's a bit on the pricier end, but supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime purchase.
-- Hiking and Camping --
By being outside while practicing social distancing, hiking and camping is a great idea. One of my favorite trails I've hiked is in Sedona, Arizona, but there's probably great trails where you live with a quick Google search.
Backpack options: the Camelbak brand that I have has served me pretty well and held strong through the years, don't forget to air out your water bladders afterward though. You can look into a water bladder cleaning tool that let's it air out on a rack that keeps it open.
-- Reading --
In the past 2 months, I finished “White Fragility” by Robin DiAngelo and a more light-hearted “Becoming” by Michelle Obama. I do a lot of pro bono empowerment work in people of color communities; and although I've read a lot of books about race, those were two that I hadn't gotten around to yet. I finished them finally this summer.
Let me know what you've been up to lately and if you've done something new and enjoyable! Let me know in email irene@baywellnesscoaching.com if you have suggestions you want to add to the list.