We’re halfway through the November lockdown and to put it mildly: people are on the edge. I’ve had so many phone calls about depression, worry, fatigue, anxiety – and it was around November in general! I feel you here, I feel it all – I really feel it. But to be honest, I think at this point it’s best not to dwell too much on those feelings. It’s just going to turn into a downward spiral, and we’d probably be better off staying bullish and hoping that things will improve once the situation is over – whenever it does.
And with that upbeat spirit, I did what we do best here at iHeartBerlin: put together some ideas for a fun list – this time on some nice mind-raising things to do to make the lockdown period and the winter, in general, a little better. And I’ll spare you the obvious, like going for walks in the park and binge-watching Netflix, because I think we’ve done enough already. And I’m sure you all already Marie-Kondoed your house and honed your sourdough baking skills during the last lockdown. So we move on to new things, more specific things – all of which are approved and tested by me personally!
Create your own urban jungle
So here is the most obvious first if you know me. I am a plant fanatic and started my plant collection long before the lockdown. But I can assure you that being surrounded by a jungle in my own house when I couldn’t get much out of it really kept me sane during the first lockdown. Feeding the plants and watching them flourish is truly calming and getting new ones to expand your collection can be truly satisfying and addicting in the best way. At first they are probably just part of your interior design, but more and more they will take over your space by replacing all the non-plant elements and you will suddenly be in your own urban jungle. Garden centers were one of the few places still open during the first lockdown, so a lot of people spent their time like this. You should get started too!
Learn to chair the dance
In the nightly equivalent of this article where we have presented you all the options, you must make up for lost moments of celebration during this pandemic we have already suggested that you get into the striptease to give your neighbors on the other side some entertainment. We take it a few steps further here with this one. I know the trend is actually pole dancing, but who has a pole at home? But what everyone has is a chair! How about learning chair dancing? This will certainly come in handy on the next dates when there really isn’t much to do! How do I find a chair dance class? There are many online courses offered all over the world, check out websites like eversports and city sports clubs etc. to find them.
Become an art connoisseur
I know the general status quo is that all fun stuff is closed right now, with the exception of stores and malls. But that’s actually not true: One aspect of Berlin’s cultural scene hasn’t stopped: art galleries – apparently because they sort of count as retail stores. While we can’t go to Hamburger Bahnhof and Martin Gropius Bau, at least we can enjoy some art and spark our shriveled minds with it. Some iHeartBerlin favorites are open, such as König Galerie, The Ballery, Urban Spree, Sprüth Magers, and Contemporary Fine Arts which all have great exhibits right now. Our respected Exberliner colleagues have even made a short guide to the fun of art during lockdown that you should check out. It’s a great list of places to do your own work in November – who knows maybe after that you’ll be a true art connoisseur!
Building a home gym
I’m one of those people with a gym membership that doesn’t work – and this year has been a fantastic year for that because the gyms were actually closed so I didn’t even have to feel bad about it. this subject. Well, I feel bad that I’m not one of those people who started jogging hysterically. You know the ones I’m talking about because you can see from a mile away that they’ve never done this before. Good for them! But I just couldn’t be safe. However, I got some lightweight fitness equipment like weights and foam blocks and reused an old piano bench as a workout bench. I have to admit that having these things in the house motivated me more to use them than the mere existence of a yoga mat lying around somewhere in my house. I try to see these fitness tools as little toys that want to be picked up and played with – a lot more motivating than running in the rain!
Vacationing in a guest house
So I did this more or less unintentionally earlier this summer for personal reasons that are not a great story to share. But I have to say that in a lackluster situation it did wonders for me! Just moving into a friend’s house (no matter if there is or not) was really nice and the change of scenery was refreshing. While travel is really pretty limited these days, it’s one of the only ways to at least give you a vacation feeling. And if you’re lucky and your friend has already started using their heater, you can even pack shorts and flip flops for the ultimate vacation feeling!
Change the decor of your home
If moving in with a friend isn’t a good option because they all live in tiny, dark Hinterhof apartments or in messy workgroups, you’ll have to think of something else to get the same feeling. It’s a bit of an ambitious suggestion and it really depends on your creativity. Here’s what I did: To surprise a friend for a birthday and to make up for a canceled trip we had planned for the occasion, I built a cute little boho tent in my house. I filled it with pillows, covered it with Christmas light chains, and surrounded it with plants (see the first item on our list) to create a bit of a jungle vibe. The idea was to create the feeling of going camping in nature (well, in my case glamping!) Without even leaving the house. And I’m not kidding, since I built this tent, I’ve found myself snuggled up many times watching adventure movies and having a spoon of ice cream – it brings back childhood memories for sure!
Start a Sell-a-thon
I’m sure you used the first lock to declutter your house, tidy up, maybe even redecorate a bit. Maybe you even went to a summer flea market to get rid of some things. But I’m sure over the past few months you’ve had a new outlook on life and the world in general with that grim outlook for the next couple of months. And let’s face it: there are even MORE things you won’t need much in the future. And that includes stuff you might have gotten over the past year. Don’t feel bad getting rid of something so new! You couldn’t know how things would turn out. But I promise you, you better get rid of it anyway. Do what you never thought you would take the time for: put these things on ebay – now you’ll be thankful you have a reason to leave home and drop off those packages.
Enjoy the little pleasures
This is the inspirational quote in italic font on a beautiful beach background from my list. Let me tell you the story that sparked this proposal: I took a walk with a friend the other day – like you do during lockdown – and we passed through Mauerpark which was once filled with life but which is pretty empty now. We explored a bit of these newly designed parts of the park that they recently opened up behind the stretch where the flea market takes place. There are mostly uncomfortable stone benches, but there are also these swings like there used to be on the hill near the wall. So my friend and I took a little swing and were instantly filled with joy and memories. Even though it was only a short experience, it made us laugh and we continued our walk with smiles on our faces. Since then, I try to live these little moments of pleasure every day and really cherish them. It’s such a sticky thing to say really, but in these dreary times it makes you feel better and gives you good vibes that will carry you through the rest of the day.
Improve your masturbation
It wouldn’t be a listicle on iHeartBerlin if it didn’t get sassy at some point, right? This suggestion actually came from Claudio who introduced me to this book on becoming a Masturbation “Profi” when I asked him what else I could put in this guide. And while he probably wanted it more as a joke, I think that’s not a bad idea at all! How much time do we normally have to have fun and really take care of ourselves? Now that we’re so confined to home, it’s a good opportunity to really explore just how great masturbation could be for us. Maybe don’t go straight to the penetration close-up while watching porn. Maybe don’t jerk off right in the sink to avoid a mess. Maybe introduce some new toys. Maybe you dress for yourself – or better yet – undress for yourself. Build up a fantasy, create a scenario, take your time, be kind to yourself. You deserve it, baby!
Diesen Artikel auf deutsch lesen.
through Franc
November 19, 2020
in the stories