I try lots of different lifeways, and it's interesting to see which ideas stick--which practices become mainstays in the weekly routine.
Crock pot days
Making a crock pot meal once a week creates a good way to feed my family and other loved ones too. The challenge is to find the best crock pot recipes. Crock pots provide a great way to bring a meal to loved ones who do not live close by.
Sunday Dinners
We have a Sunday tradition of having loved ones to dinner. I have come to really love this long-held family tradition as it is a way to have a festive seasonal lunch with those you love. It's a good time to catch up and support one another.
Virtual Family Get-Togethers
The pandemic has prompted us to create a bi-weekly family get-together on Sunday nights to catch up with family members who do not live close to us. Though this does not replace real-time get togethers, it is a good way to keep in touch. We have to think a bit more creatively about these get togethers to keep the connections lively and meaningful.
Neighborhood Gatherings
We're planning our first social-distanced neighborhood gathering, a Harvest Happy Hour, as a way to thank our neighbors for being the supportive, good people they are, and a way to have fun together.
Saturday Adventures
We're planning an outdoor adventure for every Saturday--it's a good way to see new places in the local area and enjoy being outdoors with loved ones.
Project List
We're keeping a running project list that's helping us to make our home and yard more warm and welcoming with the themes of less things more time, simplicity, and reaching our long term goals including post-pandemic adventures and pursuits.
Intimacy
Making more thoughtful and meaningful intimate times with those we love most, times to connect in ways that we may not have been able to do as much during the very busy pre-pandemic days.
Daily reading, writing, and reflection
Each morning I spend time reading, writing, and reflecting. I love this time since, as I've noted time and again, thinking is my favorite sport.
Nutritious, colorful, delicious dinners
As I move more in the direction of a vegetarian diet, I've been focused on creating delicious, veggie-full dinners. I love the creativity involved in this endeavor, and the happiness this creates for those I love.
What routines are sustaining your positivity and good living during these pandemic days? What routines lead to better living in general?