Even though we’re in the middle of the Easter season, things probably feel pretty Lenten for you, still.
Leading up to the Covid-19 outbreak, most of us were busy deciding what our Lenten sacrifices would be and excited to tackle them.
No meat on Fridays? Check. A month without sweets? Sure thing.
Little did we know that a sacrificial, lonely and seemingly impossible journey lay before us. One that we can’t accidentally break or choose to opt out of.
One of the most enjoyable parts of Lent for many Catholics, is coming to Jesus in the Eucharist, attending Mass, and praying with the stations of the cross.
Having these activities suddenly stripped away, as we lose more and more connections to the physical things that ground us to Christ and others, can feel devastating.
And even though Easter Sunday has come and gone, we’re still in a season of sacrifice thanks to all things Coronavirus related.
Here we are, in the middle of a dessert, doing our best to survive this situation without letting our mental health slip.
It’s important to remember that Jesus went before us and is here with us now as we journey through this season.
So how do you combat loneliness during mandatory isolation? We have a few suggestions.
Schedule online dates with your friends and family
It may not be the same as person to person contact, but making a connection with people over the phone or computer is imperative during this time of isolation.
Humans are meant to be with other humans. We were made for people.
So being cut off from others for any period of time is a recipe for disaster.
Make sure you are scheduling times to talk and just hang out with your friends and or family.
Some great ways to communicate are:
- Zoom
- Skype
- Facetime
- Google Hangouts
- Microsoft Teams
- Old fashioned home or mobile phone
All of these are free and pretty easy to use.
Whether you just sit and chat over the computer or go on a walk together over FaceTime, having regular dates with people you are about will really help lift your spirits.
Get outside
Whether it’s hot, warm, cold, snowing, raining, whatever, get outside! This is one of the best remedies for shedding the feeling that the walls are closing in on you.
Walk down the sidewalk or find a local trail to run on if you’re able to.
Get as much sunlight as possible as vitamin D is essential to good physical and mental health.
Even if you just pull a chair out onto the patio or into the driveway, give your body fresh air and your soul a breather.
Take advantage of online dating
If you are a Catholic dating or hoping to date, this is a great time to hunker down and see what the online world of dating is all about.
You literally can’t go out and date in person, so take advantage exploring online Catholic dating sites like Catholic Singles.
On these sites you’ll be united with an instant community of other Catholics looking for companionship during this bleak time.
If you’re already comfortable with online dating, take advantage of this time to take it up a notch.
What are some creative ways you can date someone online? Click here for a list of some good ones!
Stay active
Just because the gyms have closed and business as usual has stopped, doesn’t mean that you should too.
Movement is important in everyday life and a pandemic doesn’t change that fact.
Exercise of any sorts helps boost endorphins which helps your mood like nothing else (outside of medication) can.
Some ways to get moving during isolation:
- Go for walks
- Do an online workout program
- Find some workout videos on YouTube that you’d like to try
- Make a weekly goal such as run one mile a day or walk a total of ten miles a week.
Whether you want to get moving in the morning, evening, or both, find a time that works well for you and commit to getting that movement in at least once a day.
Learn something new
Now is the time to embrace that new skill or hobby that you’ve always wanted to try, but never had time to do.
You can find thousands of user friendly tutorials on YouTube. If you want something a little more structured, sign up for an online class.
Whether you want to learn about meteorology or how to knit a scarf, there is no lack of options out there.
Need some inspiration? Some great skills to learn while in isolation are:
- How to play an instrument (guitar anyone?)
- Sign language or a new language in general
- How to build something
- How to paint with watercolor
- Calligraphy
- Photography
Just think of something you really think you would enjoy or benefit from doing, and dive in!
Find faith outlets online
Daily Mass has never been easier to get to. Whether you are still commuting to work or able to conquer your job from home, take time to be with Jesus every day.
Online sites such as EWTN and Ablaze Radio broadcast daily and weekly Masses that you can watch anytime.
Similarly, Eucharistic adoration is also broadcast on EWTN.
You can even find the Rosary there if you want to pray it with others. If you’re currently a Catholic dating, it would be fun to meet up with your date online and pray the Rosary together.
Use this time to strengthen your spiritual life instead of letting it slip. If anyone understands how unbearable this loneliness can feel, it’s Jesus.
He’s been there.
Be proactive
Loneliness is a sneaky thing. It can creep in even when you feel like you are doing ok.
Instead of waiting to react to the feelings that can arise during isolation, actively work on preventing them in the first place.
Find things that you can do and people (online) that you can do them with and make it a ritual.
Keep a schedule during the day and don’t let the days blur into one another.
Pray constantly and never hesitate to reach out to someone if you are feeling down. As many of the media outlets and popular heads of Twitter are hashtagging, we are #inthistogether.
