Being stuck in the comfort of my own home was never something I could see myself growing sick of, until now. Being the right brain person that I am, it’s pretty hard to be bored, as I am constantly thinking up new ideas of how I can occupy my time, but sadly I have run out. While you are cooped up in your house, probably still in bed, here are some great options for things you can do to keep that brain of yours fresh and sharp.

Painting

Painting is one of the most underrated hobbies. Mostly because it is very easy to have a negative perception on whether one has enough “creative ability” or whether they are a “good artist”. With painting, you have to understand that it is not about what the piece looks like, but how it makes you feel, especially in the process of creating it. I never thought that I could paint until I came to this conclusion. Since I’ve started, I’ve only gotten better, more inspired and come to a better understanding as to what gets my creative juices flowing. The awesome thing is that you can turn anything into an art piece, whether it be your school notebook, your water bottle or even an old pair of shoes you have lying around. 

Learning a new instrument

This is the perfect time to learn a new instrument as well. The ability to play an instrument well is one of the best gifts in life that you can have, and it is especially impressive if you teach yourself. About a year and a half ago, I taught myself how to play guitar. It started as wanting to have a sort of small, personal connection to my brother while he was away at officer training camp in the military. He had to leave his guitar so I picked it up and started teaching myself. Before I knew it, the reason to play had manifested into a whole different desire. As I started to play more smoothly and memorize chords, I learned that it was such a special feeling to play an instrument and to be able to sing along. Also, being able to teach yourself songs you love to listen to takes it to the next level. So, do it. Not only does it occupy your time while simultaneously expanding structural and functional aspects of your brain, it is also a personal experience unlike any other, and you can take it at your own tempo.

Focusing on eating habits

A great goal to work towards is good eating habits and having an efficient exercising schedule. I know that sounds like it sucks, but just like anything, the more you work at it, the more insight you have in figuring out what works best for you. When I started working out at the start of each day, I found that I was so much happier and less insecure about myself when going out with friends and family. It helped my anxiety and increased the level of self love I had for myself, which is the most important love of all. But working out sometimes may not be enough. You must also have a healthy diet, while making sure you are also getting the right nutrients and vitamins you need. If you try this even for just a week, I promise you will see results. While they might not be appearance-oriented results, it will make you feel so much happier and confident, especially now that we are stuck at home. It is very important that you work to improve your mental health.

Scrapbooking

Something I haven’t completely immersed myself into: the art of scrapbooking. This is mostly because of the delays in shipping for the notebook I ordered to do the scrapbooking in. I am super excited to begin because I want something new to do. Yes, even with working on healthy eating habits, painting and playing the guitar, it can still get very boring. I was fully introduced to the idea of scrapbooking while surfing through Instagram. I kept coming across these very aesthetically pleasing videos of a girl simply cutting and pasting pictures she found in magazines into a notebook. I decided that it would be a great idea to make a ‘Traveling Scrapbook’ for my mom and I to send back and forth to each other, as she lives in Wyoming. I have found scrapbooking to be an excellent activity because it’s something that you constantly keep up with. And once you finish it you can always look back through it and admire all the special memories it holds.