Self-Love in the Time of Corona

By Kika Pérez

One day the world suddenly stopped. Everything came to a screeching halt. But it wasn’t Earth’s rotation that paused. It was the people living on the planet who were suddenly forced to hide from one of the worst enemies they had ever faced: an invisible, ubiquitous and merciless crown-shaped invader who would take their air and their loved ones. 

That could well be the opening of an eerie documentary, narrating the tragic doomsday tale we are going through with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) global emergency.  Now, let’s ask ourselves how else we could spin this story, in a way where, without denying or dismissing the suffering and pain of so many, it could still show a glimpse of hope and an ending that sounded more like a new beginning. 

For our own safety, most of us are now indefinitely forced to stay at home, isolated and distanced. But what if this could be a “make lemonade” scenario where, at the impossibility of going outside, we instead, go inside. Somewhere between the impotence and despair, we might finally comes across that breakthrough we’ve been needing for so long.

How to find your self-love in the time of Coronavirus:

1. Start by being grateful.
You’ve heard this one before and it is so powerful and important. Those who start their day by saying thank you for everything they have, are happier and experience less negative emotions and anxiety.

Appreciate everything around you; the roof over your head, the comfortable couch you are laying on, the food in your fridge (or your tummy), the furry best friend who licks your feet while you read this. Even the phone in your hand is a powerful resource. If you are safe and healthy, acknowledge and cherish that you have what you need and that despite the chaos, you are okay.

2. Prioritize what’s important.
We’ve developed a character; a public version of ourselves. How we look, our demeanor and agenda has to do with our need to fit in and be admired by those around us. Being stuck at home in our pajama pants, with no makeup or gimmicks, sure puts everything in perspective, about how much of our existence revolves around appearance, image, and superficial values. But in times of need, we realize nothing else matters except each other.

Our addiction to money and things proves pointless when survival is key. No amount of power or fame can save us this time. This virus is teaching us an invaluable lesson in equality as it attacks everyone just the same, regardless of gender, race or social status. So let’s heed the warning and change our mindset by growing into a new perspective, where awareness, solidarity and empathy become our most valuable currency. 

3. Time is your best friend.
For those of us who are not needed for essential duties (Thank you, heroes), being at home is mandatory. But that doesn’t mean you must get bored and start moping around, eating potato chips while you obsessively watch every stressful Coronavirus update. Instead, take a shower, look for a quiet place and make a list of rewarding things you can do during this time, that will make your forced staycation a bit more tolerable and a lot more successful.

Think of those hobbies you never get to indulge in: read that book, listen to the new Pearl Jam album, become the amateur chef you always wanted to be, do a closet clean-up with your kids, and please make your wife happy by finally organizing that mess in the garage. She’s been begging you since 2012.

We’re always complaining that we never have enough time; Time to rest, time to spend with our families, time to just be. Well, guess what? Right now you get to save the world by doing nothing and time is what you have most of. 

4. Create a proper home office. 
Working from home has become the temporary norm. And it can definitely be a challenging scenario when you’re trying to concentrate, hold virtual meetings, take calls from colleagues and get things done in the middle of a dirty laundry castle, decorated with an explosion of Legos thrown in the air by tiny “co-workers” running around in nothing but their Batman capes.

So we must adapt and design the live-in office our work deserves. Choose a corner that is secluded, has ample light and a neutral background. Order a professional desk and chair to ensure you are as organized and comfortable as possible, which will exponentially increase your desire and performance. You’ll also stay focused by setting the right boundaries to separate your time at the “office” (guest room) from your time at “home” (a.k.a. your bed).

5. Give yourself permission to be human. 
 This is still a very frightening, unsettling and painful situation, as many are currently battling the virus or have lost a family member or friend. So before following our list of tips, or doing whatever else you think you’re supposed to accomplish right now, remember that taking care of yourself is the first step.

Experts in Positive Psychology agree that embracing the nature of our humanity is fundamental and necessary. Feeling confused, scared, disoriented and even a bit depressed is exactly what’s expected from us right now. No one is asking you to build a house, get a Master’s degree or discover the laws of gravity (Newton did but he didn’t have Netflix) during your quarantine. Instead, take a deep breath and take it one day at a time. Let your emotional intelligence guide you.

Do your best to stay active and involved but understand that your entire system has gone into survival mode and you might not be up for a virtual wine party every night or much of anything at all, except hiding under the covers and hoping for this thing to pass soon. So let’s be compassionate with ourselves and others, because we’ve been harshly reminded that love is always the most effective cure. 

6 Tips to a New You in 2020

By: Kika Perez

Tis the season to take inventory of a long year of relentless work, inspiring achievements and valuable lessons. Our brand and philosophy underwent a complete makeover and we celebrate it.
From the challenging journey of redefining who we are, we emerged bigger and stronger than ever, ready to take on the adventures of the future. 
This has been our best year yet and we couldn’t have done it without the engagement and support of our amazing team and customers.

As a thank you, we created a resolution checklist that would place business goals aside and focus on the mindful aspect of our operation, promoting prosperity, wellbeing and happiness.
Follow our full-proof recipe for baking a better you in 2020 and we guarantee you’ll have a very happy new year.

1. Start your day earlier than ever.
The more hours you have in your day, the more you’ll accomplish. Waking up early puts you in the right mindset for success because it allows you extra time to get organized, think more efficiently and diffuse the anxieties of completing daily tasks.

Plus, if you get a head start in the morning, you’ll be productive for longer and have more time to rest at night. This model agrees with your circadian rhythm, the biological process that regulates our sleep and wake cycles every 24 hours. We don’t want to disrupt our body’s natural needs by attempting to be up and about when we should actually be recharging our human batteries.

2. Journal, journal, journal!
A recent study conducted at the Dominican University in California, gathered two hundred and sixty-seven people from all over the world, and from all walks of life, including entrepreneurs, educators, healthcare professionals, artists, lawyers and bankers. The research concluded that you become 42% more likely to achieve your goals and dreams simply by writing them down on a regular basis.

Writing is fundamental for the development of our intelligence because it makes our logic connect with our emotions. Putting our innermost thoughts and desires on paper creates a visual conduit that goes from the creative side of our brain (right) to our rational side (left). This enables a bridge of electrical signals to travel down to our spinal column, making our entire bodies act out our words and intentions. It seems like a magic trick, right? Well, it’s actually just science, which is an ever better king of magic.

3. Put your kindness where your mouth is.
More than 300,000 people die every year due to heart complications from obesity, diabetes and other related illnesses, making it the second leading cause of death in the United States.
Think of these numbers the next time you pass through the McDonalds window or before grabbing that third donut from the box. 

Taking care of ourselves is far more important than many of the other standards we seem to prioritize. Eating well, exercising, meditating and releasing stress went from being a doctor’s recommendation to a requirement, if we want to be alive and strong. There are no gimmicks or fast tracks to staying healthy. It is an everyday practice that requires planning, commitment, patience and being kind with our bodies.

4. The 3 D’s: Do Device Detox.
We have become device-dependent zombies who cannot function without wifi, batteries, cables, outlets, USB ports, apps., bluetooth, etc. We are more connected than ever on a virtual scale, but as people, we seem to have forgotten how to even look at each other across the dinner table. There is an obvious, painful and very worrisome gap that is only growing deeper as we become more addicted to technology, gossip and immediacy than we ever thought possible.

To mitigate this epidemic, we suggest the occasional break from all electronic gadgets.
Yes, we’re serious. No Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat or any other social forum for at least a few hours a day or one whole day of the week. It’s not as scary as you think. You can do this. I mean, do you really need to know what Tim from your high school Biology class is doing every five minutes, even though you barely even remember him and haven’t seen him since Michael Jackson was black and alive? 

Turn that phone off and pay attention to your loved one, your neighbor, your loyal dog or even yourself. Contemplate what’s in front of you and make time to ignore the screen of a fantasy realm that is making you feel ill, like you’re never enough when there’s really nothing missing. You are perfect and part of a beautiful world, so look up and take it all in.

5. Ride your Wheel of Life.
A very powerful tool in Life Coaching guidance is to analyze our “Wheel of Life”.
Much like a pie, this graph divides the angles of our lives so we may better understand which area needs our attention. Work, money, love, friendship, health, etc., are some of the categories we invest time in. But what we’ll often find is that in our adult activities, we often neglect one or more parts while we concentrate on others. This asymmetry creates disruption and unhappiness because our fulfillment and joy as humans comes from being able to excel in all aspects of our humanity. 

So remember to make time for friends and family if you spend most of your days at the office, or go enjoy some self-care activities if you’re used to running around like a headless chicken and never take a second to breathe. Break the pattern and give yourself what you need moment to moment, so you may find the balance to savor every piece of your living.

6. Don’t forget to give back.
Nothing is more rewarding than doing our part for the better good. We depend on each other to survive and thrive, so invest a bit of time in selfless acts of generosity and we guarantee you sheer bliss once you see the smiles of those you helped. There are opportunities everywhere for us to offer a little and get so much more in return.

Happy New You, 2020!