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| Photo courtesy of Jelena Mirkovic on Unsplash |
Honestly, I have always been a bit of an introverted homebody. I actually prefer to stay home most of the time. Even when given the option, I'll typically choose to do most things from home. Sure, I do enjoy going shopping at the mall every now and then, and I do enjoy going for walks to get some fresh air, but for the most part, if it can be done at home, I will almost always opt to do it at home. I workout at home, I do my work at home, I entertain myself at home, I do pretty much everything at home. I like home. Home is my happy place, my safe place. I think you get the idea by now, I enjoy spending time at home. At least most of the time.
I can't say that I haven't been missing the option to go to the shop, see the people that I care about, visit the park, or anything else I may feel like doing during the quarantine. I have a newfound appreciation for having the option to do what used to seem like the most simple of things. I have a newfound appreciation for ordinary life in general. But I also have a heightened appreciation for the comforts of home, even the things that may seem silly or trivial. Why shouldn't I take a moment to truly appreciate all of these things, and have a little bit of gratitude for them? Even if quarantine has been my lifestyle all along, now is the time to truly embrace being a homebody.
1 - Home is where the Wi-Fi is!
I'm not going to lie, I love modern technology, and I have even found ways to use it for self-care. I'll be honest, I probably spend a little too much time on my computer. But I sincerely enjoy spending time working on my blog, scrolling through positive social media posts, watching YouTube videos, and chatting with my online friends. So that being said, I have to say, I love being home where I know the Wi-Fi password, but it already connects automatically anyway.
2 - Home is where all of my stuff is...
Perhaps it may seem a bit materialistic, but I'm not going to lie, I do like my material things. I know that material possessions aren't the most extraordinary things in life. I also know that they definitely should not be your primary source of happiness, but they can bring you delight. They can sometimes spark a lot of joy, especially when you weed out some of the crap, and you're picky about what you keep in your home. Needless to say, I am fond of the things that I have, and I don't feel that there should be any shame in that. And when I'm home, I'm near my favorite things, and I must say that it does bring me at least a little bit of delight knowing that my books and journals are near me.
3 - Home is where the pets are!
As an animal lover, I love spending time with my dog, and I can't exactly take my dog to the mall since most public places don't allow pets. Needless to say, a big perk of spending time at home is spending some extra quality time with your four-legged family members.
4 - It's (usually) quiet.
Personally, I love the sound of silence, and I enjoy my quiet time. So although I can't speak for everyone, especially those of you with noisy family members, roommates, or neighbors, one of my favorite things about being at home is the fact that it's quiet. Usually. Sometimes my family can get a bit noisy, particularly when I'm trying to sleep or blog, but I have the best chance of having some quiet time at home. Besides, even when it does get noisy at home, I can always pop in my earbuds and listen to something else to drown out the noise.
5 - There's no judgment, or less of it anyway.
Honestly, as someone who was bullied in school, and has quite a bit of social anxiety, this is a big one for me. This is one of the main reasons I actually chose to do most things from home, even before the coronavirus quarantine. While I know that not everyone who passes by me is judging me, it's nice to be at home where there's no one around to potentially judge me, at least when I'm alone in my room. I understand having judgmental family members or roommates all too well. So personally, I love having the immediate option to go to my room, hide away from everyone, do my thing, and not hear anything about it from anyone.
6 - I can do most things at my own pace.
Who doesn't love to do things at their own pace? I've never enjoyed feeling like I have to rush with anything, and I often feel like I have to rush a lot of things when I'm out in public. I don't like the feeling of having to rush to finish my workout or hurry up and finish my meal. I hate having to rush my work. Although on the flip side to that, sometimes I just want to get something done quickly and get it out of the way. So that being said, I love being able to do everything at my own pace, and more often than not, being home allows me to do just that.
7 - I don't have to wear a bra or "real" pants!
Don't pretend these aren't the first things to go when you get home after a long day. Does anyone actually enjoy wearing a bra? Does anyone actually enjoy wearing pants? No, really, does anybody actually enjoy wearing these things? Okay, I'll admit that I do wear sports bras around the house, but they aren't the same as regular bras. Same with leggings, which do count as pants by the way. My point is, it's nice not having to wear an uncomfortable bra or pants; or not having to wear these things at all. So that's a big perk of being at home.
8 - Everything is just more comfortable!
Is it just me, or is everything just so much more comfortable at home? Not only is there no bed like your own bed, but personally, I also feel like there's no couch like your own couch. When it comes to comfort, there is seriously no place like home. Not only can you sit in any position that makes you comfortable, without worrying about minding your manners, but everything just seems so much better when you're in your own environment. I love being able to fully relax, and at home, I can do just that.
9 - I have at least some control of my surroundings.
While you may not have full control over everything in your environment at home, especially if you live with other people, you still get at least some control over your surroundings. At the very least, you have the power to keep your personal space clean and organized in the way you like. At home, when I'm in my own room, I have a say over what music I listen to or watch I watch on TV. It may seem silly, but I like having a little bit of control over my surroundings. Even if it's something as simple as choosing to open the curtains and let some extra sunshine in while I read a book, or maybe I want to sit in the dark while watching something on Netflix. I like being at home where I can make these choices.
10 - It's one of the safest places that I can be.
My home has always been the one place where I have always felt the safest. It is the one place where I can allow myself to tune everything else out, and not have to be aware of my surroundings all the time. Home is the one place where I don't have to worry about much. I had always felt this way, and now more than ever, this holds true, even though I'm the only person in my household who can actually stay home. I'm still safer at home right now than I would be at the mall or in any crowded place, and I'm doing my part to help flatten the curve.
Admittedly, I am a bit bummed that I can't make 2020 the year that I try to get out a little more, as it was actually one of my goals for this year. I also can't say that this situation isn't stressing me the fuck out. I still worry about the people that I care about, and it's disheartening to hear about other people suffering. But the thing is, there isn't much that I can do about it, aside from doing my part by staying home. So I might as well make the most of this extra time at home, while no one is telling me that I should get out more. Then one day, when it's safe, perhaps I should utilize the option to go out more often and have more appreciation for it.
What are some of your favorite things about being home? How are you making the most of your time at home? Are you able to stay at home? To all those who can't stay home, and are working on the front lines, thank you. I don't think it's possible to thank you enough for the sacrifices that you're making right now. I hope you stay safe and healthy. I am optimistic that we will get through this, but for now, I'll do my part and stay home.
What are some of your favorite things about being home? How are you making the most of your time at home? Are you able to stay at home? To all those who can't stay home, and are working on the front lines, thank you. I don't think it's possible to thank you enough for the sacrifices that you're making right now. I hope you stay safe and healthy. I am optimistic that we will get through this, but for now, I'll do my part and stay home.
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