Spice Up Everything!

Make your time at home more interesting by wearing crazy clothes, eating spicy food and listening to new music.

The cycle

Being locked up in your own home all day, contrary to normal belief, can be draining. The tiresome lack of routine or the new routine you have now established can take away from your creative endeavors. This time is making your life easier to be caught in a loop of feeling useless and purposeless.

Make a Change

But it doesn't always have to feel like the only option is to either stay in bed on your electronics or get work done. There is an in between, and to get you to the more purposeful side of your at home life is very simple.

First Things First

Change Your look. It doesn't have to be the look that you will emerge from self isolation with, but let your mind run free and pair together the craziest clothes imaginable. I have found that it makes life at home much more fun when you wear something, that may not be your style, but gets you out of your pajama funk.

I definitely recommend raiding your closet and pulling out the items from the back that you haven't worn in forever. During a normal week it seems like a chore for most people to come up with a new creative outfit they feel confident in, so take the time you have now to revive a bunch of clothes and you never know what you may find.

If finding old clothes in your closet doesn't spur your imagination find inspiration online.

So many celebrities are taking this time and sharing their at home outfits. I have found on Instagram there is a surge of at home style inspiration. Some of my favorites I have found are from Emma Roberts*, with her daily at home looks and Zoey Deutch** with her at home track suits. Also to see an abundance of celebrities outfits check out InStyle*** as they are posting Looks of the Day on their website.

The main point is, try something new. Find what you like, what you don't like and maybe even make something old into something new. (Post to come soon about renovating old T-shirts!)

Second Things Second

Try to do something that normally you would never. Photo courtesy: Emma Roberts

Like painting your nails, reading a book, listening to a book (gasp), or eating a food you have always avoided trying.

This week alone I have painted my nails which I would normally never do because I usually don't like how painted nails look on me. But I found that I love having painted nails. Maybe all along I was just painting them the wrong color, or looking at it the wrong way. However, now I can't stop staring at them.

If you don't know what color, I recommend first trying lavender. It seems to go with everything!

Eat Spicy Food, to Feel Spicy

Normally I wouldn't gravitate to the spicy foods but crazy times call for crazy measures. I have been looking for every opportunity to add spice to my food. I added some hot sauce to my eggs, I tried to make spicy butternut squash soup with mild dried chilies (which didn't work, because they were mild) and I made a spicy Italian- veggie- sausage pasta dish.

Even if you are extremely resistant to spicy foods there is still hope to 'spice' up your dishes. Try a food you may have not liked in the past and give it a second chance.

For me that was eggplant. I had only tried it maybe once before. Recently we had an eggplant in our fridge so I though I might as well try cooking it. It was okay for a few bites but then I started to focus on the fact that it was really soft and squishy and I couldn't get anymore down.

That is only my bad experience, but trying new food is definitely something that can help brighten your day even if you don't end up liking it because it's a little too different.

Cooking in General

Baking is usually my thing and something I gravitate to the most but during this time at home I have found that I really like cooking as well. Not only is it something that can be potentially calming and a creative

activity, but it may help to switch up your diet and give you a little more variety.

I don't recommend cooking one of the recipes that is easy and you can always do when you have nothing else in mind. Find a cookbook whether online or an e-cookbook from your library and look for inspiration there.

Don't be afraid to make substitutions and experiment, because if all else fails you will always have tomorrow to try again!

Usually when I cook a new recipe I find that they can use simple ingredients that I generally have in the kitchen. Although the ingredients when used in a new recipe always seem to be much more flavorful.

Find New Surroundings

Listening to the same playlist over and over can get boring even if it's a playlist with all your favorite songs. Music should be the thing that motivates you, or at least causes you to feel some sort of emotion. Instead of feeling tired that your favorite songs no longer make you feel the way you did, when you first discovered them.

The same goes for your environment. If you have the ability, change the room that you usually spend the most time in, for a different room even if it's not your favorite. Or better yet if the weather allows, go outdoors.

Having your surroundings, music and landscape, on repeat for too long can cause temporary neutral feelings about everything. So switch it up!

Don't stress out about wasting this precious time, although it is very very precious, but be aware of what your body and mind are telling you. What do you really want to do? Your mind and body want something that will challenge them, whether that is creatively or work related, listen and do what you have been waiting to do. Don't sit around looking for the right time. Get up and do it now!

P.S.

If you need any book/ movie/ cooking/ artist/ music recommendations check out those pages at the top of the screen for lists on what to read, watch, cook, ect.

* Instagram: @emmaroberts

** Instagram: @zoeydeutch

*** Link to InStyle daily looks: https://www.instyle.com/look-of-the-day

Photos from Unsplash