Brenna Without Borders

As a very goal-oriented and forward thinking person, this pandemic has really been getting on my nerves.  I generally tend to base the successes of my year around the places I have traveled and the advancements I have made in my career.  But with being in lockdown and my job security being uncertain.  I have needed to get creative in how I pass the time and feel accomplished. 

Mixing Up My Workout Routine

As a new runner, this year I was overly ambitious about all the races I had planned to run.  I wanted my pace to be faster and my body to be stronger. But through the many phases of this pandemic, I have found it mentally challenging to pursue my running goals, without a race on the calendar. 

I started weaving my way through the world of digital workout classes.  I tried yoga, jazzercise, and cardio classes.  I didn’t love all of them, but it gave my daily workouts a nice variety.  If I was feeling anxious I took to yoga (not going to lie, I’ve been doing a lot of yoga).  If I was feeling angry I would do a cardio class. If I was feeling energetic I would do some jazzercise.  And you can find a way to get all of these for free for some time.  Money is tight right now for me.  My sister loaned me her jazzercise login.  Peloton was (and maybe still is) offering a 90-day free trial on all classes.  I used Core Power Yoga’s free classes for almost 4 months.  

Now I have started two free trials of yoga platforms to determine which one I like better, since it looks like we are going to be home a while longer. 

Something that I failed to acknowledge before the pandemic is that exercise does not need to guarantee sweat.  Exercise can simply be a walk around the neighborhood. Take it easy, be kind to yourself.  I was beating myself up a lot for not keeping up with running.  It was during that time that I read a post on instagram that said “Exercise isn’t always the answer for your anxiety.” I felt that so deep in my soul and knew I needed to take a break.  Now when I do run, I don’t track them. I don’t need to know how fast or far I go.  Even if I break up runs with bits of walking, I need to take it as a small victory that I got outside and moved my body. 

That One Thing you Always Wanted to Try 

Do you have a “thing” that you have always felt was “your thing” but weren’t confident enough to pursue? That is me with writing. I love to write. It’s an excellent way  to process my feelings and work through hard times.  However, I cringe at the thought of people who know and love me reading what I write.  

If there is anything that this pandemic has taught me it’s that life is short.  Life is so hard right now, the least we can do is invest in activities we enjoy. A goal for my future self is to write a book.  If I don’t start today, then when? We need to do the things that we love, that bring us joy on a daily basis. What is your thing? Think about it. Then go after it. Nothing will be perfect when you start, but it will be worth it. 

Macrame

It was mid-may and I really needed a project.  Work was slow and I needed to accomplish something.  That is about the time that macrame projects started being advertised on my Instagram from a company called Solid Oak Inc.  I had always wanted a macrame wall hanging, this seemed like a great opportunity to make my own.  

Buy your own macrame kit here. 

The directions were very clear and easy to follow. I worked on it a few days after work. It was mindless, I was able to relax, enjoy myself, and use my hands to create something new.  I finished it way faster than I thought I would.  It looks adorable hanging on my bedroom wall and when I finished, my next thought was what should I macrame next? If quarantine continues as long as it does, I will have to start some new projects! PS. makes a great gift for friends! 

Learning a Language 

Learning Spanish has been a goal of mine since before my mission trip. Visiting several spanish speaking countries, I have always had a desire to fluently speak the language.  Enter the Duolingo app.  All it takes is one or quick lesson a day.  You can be held accountable by emails and notifications.  My goal all through quarantine has been to see how many days in a row I can remember to practice Spanish.  As of now, I feel like I am currently relearning everything I learned in high school spanish class.  But it’s been good practice and exercise for my brain.  Hopefully someday soon I will be traveling to a spanish speaking country where I can engage in fluent conversation with the local people. 

Learning to play an Instrument 

Like a lot of people, I played piano as a kid. I loved being able to play, but I was scared to perform and strongly disliked my teacher. Instead of asking my mom for a new teacher, I quit.  Looking back, it makes me sad, because I really do love music and being able to play some of my favorite songs on the piano would be so special. 

I don’t think I am alone in feeling this way.  My dad has made it a goal to learn to play the guitar. He practices every night for 10 minutes or so.  I’m honestly so proud of him for this.  It’s something new and different to keep himself busy at this time.  He learned to play “happy birthday” and has sent it to every friend and family member who has had a birthday the past few months.  

He inspired him to test out the piano again.  Our piano has sat gathering dust since I stopped playing.  If my parents have kept it this long, someone should get some use out of it. My friend told me about an app called Simply Piano.  It walks you through all notes and actually listens to you play to see if you are learning correctly. Before you start, you get to pick a song you want to learn to play.  Then the app tunes the lessons so you are slowly learning that song.  Its easy and it’s free! 

Work on a side Hustle 

I don’t know about you, but my employment has been super questionable for the past 6 months. When layoffs began to happen, I did not want to believe that I was the exception.  I brushed up my resume quickly, in case of an unexpected job loss. Then I began to look for other ways to make an income on the side or under the table.  

Sometimes you have to get creative with this.  What are jobs that you can do without them tapping into your full time job or your social life? Remember, a side hustle is an activity that you do on the side.  It should not take away from things you hold valuable, like your time.  It should not cut in on your daily life (for the most part)

Technology today has made side hustles much easier and more available.  You just have to ask yourself the question: 

“what is something that is a minor inconvenience for some people, that I wouldn’t mind doing?”

Some people don’t like going to pick up their own takeout.  If you don’t mind waiting around for food (that you won’t get to eat) you should drive for doordash or grubhub. 

Some people don’t have a car, or don’t like to drive (or are unable to drive). But maybe you like to drive, you could drive for uber! 

Some people are going out of town and need someone to check in on their pets.  If you like animals, sign up to be a pet sitter on Rover or volunteer yourself on your local community facebook page. 

Especially during the pandemic, some people don’t feel safe going to get groceries.  Sign up to work for instacart or just ask some of your neighbors if they might need help. 

I almost guarantee that you have skill that someone else would pay you to do for them.  Think about it a little bit, ask your friends if you need help coming up with your talents.