Hey guys! How are you doing? I hope everyone is well and getting vaccinated soon! I cannot wait until the world opens up again and we can do all the things we love so much: see our friends and family, travel, go to restaurants and museums… For now, we in the Netherlands are still in lockdown, and it’s harder and harder to stay sane and happy. I can imagine I’m not the only one feeling like this, so today I wanted to write on how you can survive this lockdown if it’s getting hard on you.

• Start an excercise routine. Not the most fun, I know, but it will really help, I promise. When you’re working out, your body will release endorphins, which will make you feel better. You might not feel it as you’re sweating and swearing, but afterwards you will feel great, for sure. Plus, there are tons of fun ways to exercise. You can do a 30 day yoga challenge via Yoga with Adriene, which will let you focus on your breathing as well as working out. You might not immediately feel the burn (or you might) but you can build strength. Other fun workouts are Ringfit adventure if you have a Switch, or Just Dance for Switch, Playstation or Xbox. If you don’t have all that, you should check out Emkfit’s Youtube Channel and her High Intensity Interval Training. I did (or tried to do) her dance routine on Abba music, which was a lot of fun, even though I felt like I was dying 8 minutes in (and it was a 26 minute video). Still. It works.
  
  If you want to invest a little more, you could also buy a hometrainer or another machine you usually see in the gym. I bought one right after my gym closed because of the lockdown. It cost about three months worth of gym membership so I figured, if the gym stays closed that long, it wouldn’t be too big an investment and it is still closed, so I am really happy I bought it. Though it might not always appear that way when I’m huffing and puffing when I start working out.
  
• Plan a staycation. You probably already know this by now. In the beginning of the lockdown I wanted to save all my vacation days for when I could travel again. It didn’t make sense to plan a vacation I would spend at home. But you really should take a break for work now and then. So spend some of your vacation days, maybe a week or two, and plan all the things you still want to do but never got the time for. Read this blogpost if you want some tips on how to have a great staycation!
  

• This depends on what kind of lockdown you’re in, but if you’re able to go out, find some new corona proof things to do in your own country. Visiting a city is probably not such a good idea if restaurants and shops are closed (because, boring, and also, where are you gonna find a toilet?) but look for national parks or other activities, like renting an oldtimer to drive around, take an alpaca for a walk or go for a picknick.
  
• Plan your next trip! Remember, all of this will end and we will be able to travel again. You could make a plan, saying: whenever the time comes and the borders open up again, I’ll pack my bag and go to <insert amazing vacation location here>. If you already have an itinerary, the only thing you need to do is pack a bag and book a flight.
  
  My first location will be Nice. I’ve talked about it a couple of times, but I already have read the books and written the itinerary, so as soon as I have the chance, I’m out of here!
  
• Be aware of your expenses. This one is twofold. If you want to have an amazing trip after lockdown, not just a weekend away but traveling through Africa for three weeks or something like that, figure out a budget and save up money so you can actually go as soon as you’re able to. Or, if you don’t want to do a big trip, and you don’t want to save, you can also decide to treat yourself. Buy that book you desperately want (now you have time to read it!), or that amazing new videogame (Valheim only costs about 15 euros and you want it, trust me) or spend 70 euros at Lush buying new hair and facial products and do a spa day. Hell, do a spa day every week! My point here is, decide what you want to do with your money now you have less things to spend it on.
  
• Learn a new skill! Always wanted to learn how to play the piano or how to crochet? There’s no time like the present!
  
• Spring cleaning! Probably not the most fun thing on this list, although some would argue that cleaning is by far a better option than working out, but still. Now you have the time to finally wash the curtains, clean out your closet and dust off those bookshelves. A clean home is a happy home 🙂
  
• Pick up a book! Reading is always fun and will take your mind off things for a bit. Check out my blogpost about books for the stuck-at-home traveler for reading material that will satisfy your wanderlust and for my personal favourites.
  

• The same goes for games. Remember those endless summer vacations playing The Sims all day? What’s holding you back to do it now? It’s fun, it kills time and let you forget your problems for a bit. I’ve written a blogpost about the best games for the stuck-at-home traveler and my favourites. You could also just buy Valheim, which is all the rage at the moment. I’ve been playing it for a couple of days and it is a lot of fun, especially since you can play with your friends 🙂
  
• Remember: It’s okay to not be okay. This whole situation is weird and rough and I know people are comparing it to world wars, but saying ‘they had it worse’ doesn’t help us. In fact, it only makes things more difficult. Remember, your feelings are valid and it’s okay to be angry, frustrated or worn-out. All of it is okay, no one really knows how to deal with this. Just remember that it will end. And maybe ask yourself, if you wanna lie on the couch and watch tv and eat chips if this is gonna make you feel better. If so, great, but if you know deep down this is gonna make yourself feel worse, try to do something else. Call a friend or a family member, pick up a book or a game and escape to another world.
  
  You don’t need to do all sorts of courses and be productive in this lockdown. Not if you don’t want to. Getting through it is hard enough. Be kind to yourself ♥