Dear Nudgers,

I hope this finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy. I am feeling extra grateful this morning as my husband, one of the “essential” people, is finally home with me for a few days of what I’m calling “shelter-in-peace” and getting much-needed rest.

While not a lot has changed for us (he still went to work, I still work from home), I have had more free time to worry. Up till yesterday, my primary coping tool was online Solitaire. Not the worst choice, but not great. Then I shifted to deep-cleaning the house and tackling projects that have been on the to do list for far too long.

Today I’m getting creative. It dawned on me that some of the nudges we’ve done together can be done at home, can feed my soul, and can distract me from panic-inducing news updates and social media posts. I might re-do them, or I might pull a few new ones from the bowl and double-up in the coming weeks.

If you are also in need of creative distractions, here are some past nudges for inspiration:

Go through one bookshelf

Learn how to sign a fun phrase in American Sign Language (or learn a phrase in French, Japanese, Farsi…)

Learn something new about my city’s history

Make a list of cities I want to visit, pick one to explore

Learn something from a YouTube video

Memorize a poem (or song, inspiring speech, uplifting passage from the Bible)

Thank a writer, artist, or musician (or nurse, police officer, grocery store clerk, delivery person, and every other essential person who is serving on the front lines of this crisis)

And finally, Open DNS wine, drink from Waterford glass. “DNS” stands for “Do Not Share” and refers to the good/expensive stuff we’ve been saving for the “right” special occasion. What are we waiting for?

À votre santé. (To your good health.)

xo Kathleen