It’s been almost a year now that many of us have been stuck at home, and most of us feel isolated due to the lack of just about any social life.
No one is longer waiting for this to be over any time soon.
By now, you have grown very good at using Zoom. Is there any other way to feel more connected to the outside world?
How to keep your sanity?
Here are a few tips to help you broaden your horizons and feel connected without leaving home:
Reach Out To Someone Outside Your Social Media Bubble
Of course, there are plenty of ways to talk to others online. But most of us rarely step out of our own social media bubbles. One of the great things about travelling to new places is that we can meet people we would not ordinarily meet.
We can be exposed to cultures, beliefs and ideals that we have not previously encountered. It’s more difficult to do that when you are staying at home. But it is still possible.
For example, to reach out to someone outside your social media bubble you could:
– Follow an idea or a new hobby, and reach out to someone interesting through a forum you would not ordinarily visit.
– Look on Linked in to find professionals working in a new field you are interested in, and ask them questions about what they do.
– Visit community group websites for an area you are interested in learning more about, and ask what it is like to live there and other questions about community life and community projects.
– Sign up to take a free course online. There are plenty of fascinating subjects you could learn about. And you could meet some interesting, like-minded people along the way. Or maybe even create a course of your own, it’s quite easy these days!
Volunteer To Help Remotely on An Exciting Project
People with a passion for world travel often also have a love for people and planet and a desire to help right humanities wrongs. Though you likely won’t be able to volunteer in person right now on organic farms, building or infrastructure projects, or social schemes, there could be ways to help exciting projects from home.
Use your imagination and think about how you could use your skills to help projects from a distance. You might help spread the word, make phone calls or hold virtual meetings, raise funds, write for someone, create graphics or do design work, help to source materials or resources… the list goes on. Reaching out to help with compassion and kindness is one great way to feel less alone.
It’s also a great way to keep connected to a real world and make new friends, especially if you use some collaboration solutions that will allow you to become better integrated into existing teams.
Volunteer work might even lead you down a new and exciting path and help you find a new career trajectory. Making money through working from home, online, can open up a whole new world of possibilities and connections.
Watch Videos Online (And Make Your Own)
While reading about things that interest you online and listening to podcasts are great ways to broaden your horizons, seeing things visually can make it easier for you to feel like you are actually there.
There are plenty of amazing videos you can watch online to explore parts of the world, and cultures, that you have not visited before. Be inspired and enthralled by other people’s adventures and lives, and you will certainly feel less confined when you are staying home.
You might even be able to consider making some videos of your own. Share your own skills and knowledge, your travel memories, or your own experiences from home. If you have a garden, start growing your own, and connect with all the other organic, sustainable gardeners out there, for example. If you really look, there can be a whole world of adventure right there in your neighbourhood, or your very own backyard.
If you lack ideas, consider some basic keyword research. Text Optimizer is a fun tool that will suggest hundreds of content and video ideas on the topic of your choosing:
When stuck at home, it is easy to get stuck in a rut. But make an effort, reach out, and you can be rewarded. Remember, in the Internet and when reading, just as when travelling, it is good to head out of your comfort zone every once in a while.
Image by Luisella Planeta Leoni from Pixabay