6 Things You Can Do to Strengthen Relationships during COVID-19

COVID-19 has changed our schools, our supermarkets, and our day-to-day lives. It’s also changed our relationships.

Chances are, there are friends and family members that you’re really missing right now, because you no longer get to see them as often and you normally would. There might also be family members that you feel like you’ve seen too much of, because you’re now stuck in a house with them all day!

But even though our relationships have changed, they aren’t any less important. Here are 6 things you do to strengthen relationships during COVID-19.

1. Check in on people

Especially the extroverts – we’re not ok! But seriously, I’ve made and received more social phone calls the last week than I did all of last year, and it has been awesome.

You’ve probably heard that proverb “a problem shared is a problem halved,” and it’s true! Psychological research has found that sharing your feelings with someone can minimise the levels of stress that you feel.

While sharing what’s going on with someone else might not change the situation, it’s crazy how much it can improve our perspective. So, if you haven’t already, pick up your phone and check in on a family member or friend. We all need each other right now. 

2. Find New Ways to Connect

Even though we’re social distancing, there are still plenty of ways to connect with each other. During the past couple of weeks, the Real Talk team have been keeping a lively group chat going, along with plenty of video calls. 

It’s not quite the same as being together in person, but it’s still an opportunity to share how we’re going, tell funny stories about life at home, and encourage each other.

What are some ways you can connect with friends and family right now? Maybe it’s as simple as a phone call, but it could something more creative – you could have a virtual dinner date, drop a walkie-talkie to your neighbours, or even play games together online.

3. Brighten Someone’s Day  

It feels like every time we turn on the TV or log into social media, all we’re getting is bad news. In the midst of these dark clouds, it can make a big difference in someone’s life if you find a way to brighten their day. 

One idea would be to share funny videos or memes in a group chat. A few days ago, one of the Real Talk team shared a great example in the group chat of her baby laughing hysterically every time she made a funny noise. It was a great moment that we never would have experienced if we hadn’t all been working from home. 

Another idea would be writing a letter or putting together a care package to send in the mail. It doesn’t matter how old you are, getting something fun in the mail is always a good time. Some rest homes have even launched a “Connecting Generations” program recently, inviting kids to send letters to their elderly residents.

Be on the lookout for little ways to brighten up someone’s day. You might be surprised as just how much it improves your mood as well. 

4. Play Games Together

If you’re self-isolating in a house with 3 or more people, you’re one of the lucky ones. As a Real Talk presenter who usually has to travel a lot, I’m thrilled to be getting some quality time at home with my wife. But it’s just the two of us, and two people does not a great boardgame night make!

So, if you’ve got the numbers for some solid boardgame action right now, make the most of it. Or, if Monopoly isn’t your cup of tea, find other games that you can play.

One game that’s keeping a lot of families entertained at the moment is by going on a bear hunt. People all over the country are placing teddy bears in their front windows for people to find. Assemble your “hunting party” and see how many bears you can locate around your neighbourhood.

5. Celebrate a Weird Holiday Together  

Check out daysoftheyear.com to find out what to celebrate today. I can promise you that it will be something that is equal parts fun and ridiculous.

World Baking Day? Pull out your baking trays and make some cupcakes. Hug Your Cat Day? Reasonably straightforward. Indoor picnic day? Put some blankets down in the living room, eat some strawberries, and enjoy the air-conditioning. Outdoor picnics are so 2019 anyway.

6. Find Ways to Help Others 

One consequence of COVID-19 is that some of the people in our lives need a bit of extra help right now. So, what can you do to lend a hand? 

One of our Real Talk team spent three hours on the phone to his mum the other night, helping her set up video chat so that she can still see her friends and family while she’s in isolation.

Maybe you can provide similar tech assistance, or you could run to the store for an elderly neighbour who can’t go him/herself right now, or even donate food to your local foodbank. Even though this time is challenging for a lot of people, it’s also a great opportunity to come together. 

Conclusion

With all the social distancing measures in place, it’s easy to feel isolated. But if we’re willing to put in a bit of extra effort, there’s a lot we can do to strength our relationships. We might have to stand at least two metres apart, but that doesn’t mean we can’t reach out to each other with love.

6 Ways You Can Improve Yourself During COVID-19

In the back of my mind, I’ve got a to-do list. On it, are written things like “learn a language”, “take an astronomy class” and “figure out how to code.” If I had to give this list a name, it would be “Things I Want to Do To Improve Myself, But Never Have Time For.”

But all of a sudden, I’m stuck at home with plenty of time on my hands to start working through my list. Hopefully, you’ve got a similar list already. But if not, here are 6 ways you can improve yourself during COVID-19.

1. Create Something

If you love to draw, or write, or interpretive ribbon dance, but you always feel like you’ve never got time, now you do. Make the most of it!

There are going to be two types of people during this pandemic. There are going to be those who sit on their couches, watch Netflix, and consume, consume, consume all day. And there are going to be people who pull out their pens, dust off their paintbrushes, and create something. Be a creator, not a consumer.

The Real Talk team are going to be taking our own advice and we’ll be writing a few more posts on the Real Talk blog over the coming weeks, but we want to see all the weird and wonderful things you create as well!

2. Keep Active

Now that we’re spending lots of time at home in front of our screens, exercise is more important than ever. In addition to keeping fit and healthy, regular physical activity has a lot of other benefits as well. It can improve our mood, help us sleep better, and make us feel like we’ve accomplished something.

You might be missing being out on the sports field with your team-mates, but that doesn’t mean you can’t stay active! Grab your running shoes and go for a walk or run around the neighbourhood. Otherwise, jump online and check out all of the free exercise videos and classes you can find on websites like YouTube.

3. Learn a New Skill

One of the fantastic things about our digital world is that there are some many great resources online for learning. Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn how to code, or speak a different language, or play every Disney movie song on the recorder.

Even if you’ve got no previous experience, here are countless guides, videos and podcasts that can teach you how to get started. 

In addition to learning the new skill itself, you’ll probably learn some important lessons about perseverance, honing your craft, and your own potential.

4. Invest in Relationships

One of the best ways to improve ourselves is to improve our relationships with other people. 

Right now might be the perfect opportunity to spend some time with a family member that you don’t normally see as often, because they’re at school or work. You could even invite them to join in your online ribbon-dancing class!

We can’t see most of our friends and family members in person, but there are plenty of other ways to keep in touch. 

Remember that social distancing is purely physical. I’s still really important that we are connecting with each other, spending time together, and finding little ways to brighten each other’s day.

5. Take a Break From the News and Social Media

With all the information about COVID-19 on the news and on social media, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. It’s totally normal to being feeling stressed, anxious or upset right now, but one way to mitigate these feelings is by taking a break from the news and social media.

It’s understandable to want to keep informed, but constantly reading or watching staff about COVID can intensify our negative emotions. If we want to improve ourselves, it’s important that we set good boundaries around news and social media consumption.

This could take the form of limiting the amount of time you spend checking the news, committing to only checking social media once each day, or even having days that are completely news and social media free.

6. Set Some Goals

COVID-19 has given us the first pause in our busy lives that we’ve had for a long, long time. Chances are, you’re not going to have this much uninterrupted time at home again until you retire! So, what are you going to do with it? 

Take the time over the next day or two to set some goals. What new skill do you want to pursue? What are you going to create? How are you going to spend this quality time with love ones?

Don’t waste this opportunity.

5 Things You Can Do To Improve Your Relationship With God During COVID-19

The world we’re living in right now looks pretty different to the world of two months ago. But one thing that hasn’t changed is God.

God still loves us, He still has a plan for our lives, and He wants us to draw closer to Him during this crisis. Here are 5 things you can do to improve your relationship with God during COVID-19.

1. Constant Communication

Think for a moment about your best friend. Now imagine that the two of you never spoke. You didn’t celebrate moments of success together or turn to each other in times of need. Chances are, your relationship would fizzle out pretty quick. 

Because solid relationships need solid communication – and the same is true for our relationship with God. If we want to improve our relationship with God, we need to communicate with Him through prayer.

If you’ve never really carved out time in your day to pray before, start small. When you wake up, invite God into your day and ask him to bless it. When you go to sleep, reflect on the day and thank God for it. 

Try to find at least 10 minutes sometime during the day to just talk to God. If you’re not sure how, just tell him what’s on your mind – share your worries, your uncertainties, the areas of your life where you really need his grace.

2. Find Silence

God wants to speak to us, but often, our lives are too busy and too noisy to hear His voice. What we need is silence.

For thousands of years, men and women called “hermits” have left their ordinary lives and journeyed into the desert to find solitude and silence. With everything shutting down because of COVID-19, suddenly we can find that same silence right in our homes (as long as we remember to put our phones on do-not-disturb!).

Try to make a few minutes for silence each day. It might feel a bit uncomfortable – we usually aren’t used to silence in our day-to-day lives! But God is waiting for us in the quiet.  

3. Read the Bible

While God speaks through silence, the other big way that He communicates with us is through His Word, the Bible. No matter what’s going on in your life right now, no matter how you’re feeling, God has something to say to you.

If you’re struggling with fear or anxiety, read John 14:27 “Peace I leave you, my peace I give you. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

If you’re lonely, read Hebrews 13:5 “God has said “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

If you feel like you’re not strong enough for whatever life has thrown at you, Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

If you want to improve your relationship with God, open your Bible every day. Again, start small, and just spend a few minutes each day reading a particular chapter.

4. Attend a Church Service Online

For the first time in many of our lives, we can’t attend church in-person each Sunday. There’s no more crowded pews, no more worship band, and no more catching up with friends afterwards over lukewarm tea and biscuits. 

But that doesn’t mean that we can’t attend church at all. Many churches have quickly made the move to online services. Even if your church hasn’t, you can definitely join with another congregation that has.  

Even though watching church through a screen isn’t quite the same, try to join in as much as you can. Stand up when you normally would to sing and worship. Bow your head in prayer. Listen and take notes during the sermon. We might not be able to be together in person, but we can still worship together in spirit.

5. Find Ways to Connect with Your Community

The author John Donne once wrote that “No man is an island” and that’s definitely true in the context of our faith. We aren’t meant to do faith alone. We need a place to go to share our successes, to get support when we are struggling, and to pray together. We need a community.

While we can’t gather together in person at the moment, we can still find other ways to connect with one another.

Recently, the Real Talk team gathered over a Zoom video call to pray. We read a passage from the Bible, we listened to some worship music, and we shared any prayer intentions we had. It felt pretty different to our usual in-person team prayer, but it was still are great to connect with each other and with God.

Conclusion

In the midst of everything changing right now, our one constant will always be God. He wants to draw close to us, through all the uncertainty, stress and even boredom. The best thing we can do right now is invest in our relationship with Him!