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Hi, there, it’s me again—Jo Giese best selling author of Never Sit If You Can Dance

As I’m sheltering in, along with the rest of the country and most the world, I’m also making all my meals and craving some comfort foods. Because as this pandemic lingers, we all need more comfort, and if we can eat it, even better.

For breakfast my best comfort food are french crepes. My grandmother made them especially for me, and I ate them as she flipped them directly out of the pan with just a little powered sugar sprinkled on top.

I rarely make this treat for myself, but since this virus started I have a pitcher of crepe batter in the fridge for when I need another dose of early morning comfort.

What favorite foods and special snacks bring you comfort and are you able to get your hands on them now? And are you getting enough of them? Or too much?

Check in tomorrow for another tip on how to get through these tough times with more fun and comfort. I’m Jo Giese author of Never Sit If You Can Dance—available now on Amazon.com

Hi, I’m Jo Giese, author of Never Sit If You Can Dance.

A word I keep using now is weird—

Living in the time of the coronavirus is weird. The weirdest.

It’s weird when it’s required that people wear masks and we all look like bandits—on purpose.

After a grocery run, washing our food out in the garage bringing before it inside—is weird.

Greeting a best friend from 6 feet away and not being to hug or kiss them –feels weird.

I’m looking forward to a time when things are less strange and freaky, less weird. When we will look back and joke, Remember, when we had to wash our hands all the time? Wasn’t that weird?

Until then, for a good read during this weird time, try my joyful book Never Sit If You Can Dance. I’m Jo Giese.

Hi there—it’s me again—Jo Giese author Never Sit If You Can Dance

Not so long ago being busy was a mark of being important, being in demand. It also meant that you were probably too busy to accept an invitation for a meal, a drink, a walk. A busy life could give the illusion of urgency and confer a certain status to rushaholics.

Once I was at my mailbox and a neighbor said to me: I’m so busy. I doubt she was really that busy. She was just giving me a brush off.

But now unless we’re essential workers, or we’re taking care of too many kids at home, many of us are not busy. We have the gift of idleness, the ability to goof off, to waste time. I hope we’re appreciating it.

Check out my colorful posts on Instagram. Until tomorrow I’m Jo Giese.

Hi, there, it’s me again—Jo Giese—author of Never Sit If You Can Dance

Here’s a important ritual I observe as a writer. When I’m at my desk the first thing I do is a light a candle.

The candle is always in view, and its flame signifies to me that what I’m doing is important—it means during this time that I’m at my desk I’m supposed to be paying attention—and it also means, don’t dink around.

Lately, when my husband and I have been sitting down to dinner, I take a moment to light the candles on our table. This gesture symbolizes that there may only be the two of us here, and we’re still sheltering at home, but the comfort of this meal we’re sharing is precious and important.

What ritual helps you make it through the day?

For a entertaining read, try my book Never Sit If You Can Dance.

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Hi there, I’m Jo Giese, author of Never Sit If You Can Dance.

 

During this virus crisis, I’ve been thinking about small, ordinary things we can do that can reduce stress and increase happiness.  I’m reminded of the power of a smile.

 

Anyone can do it.  Babies do it.  Grandparents do it.  It costs nothing.  It’s contagious.  And it makes the smiler feel better and the smilee.

 

Why is that?  Because smiling boosts levels of serotonin, which is a natural stress reducer in the brain.

 

When I married my husband, during the marriage ceremony marriage we explained why we’d chosen each other…I told him, I chose you because when you smile, your smile lights up my life.  And it still does.

 

Once when I was traveling in Bali, the smile of the Balinese people seemed to last forever.  Their smile spread across their beautiful faces and lingered and lingered.    I was puzzled, how do they do that?  I went back to my hotel room and standing in front of the mirror I practiced trying to make my dinky thin smile spread wider and last longer.

 

Children smile about 400 times a day, cheerful adults about 40-50 times a day, while most of us only smile 20 times a day.  So there’s room for improvement.   Since the very act of smiling makes us feel better, in these uncertain times smiling is one easy way to deal with all the agony and woes.

 

For more ideas on how to get through tough times, first try smiling more, and then try my book Never Sit If You Can Dance—available now