Are you feeling groovy or grouchy sheltering at home? With the stay at home edict during this pandemic, maybe you are feeling somewhere in between, more like cabin-fever is setting in. Or you might have other ways to describe how you are feeling about being shut in. We’ve heard from several people who really are seeing this stay at home time in a new way.

Some people look at the first line of, The 59th Street Bridge Song, better known as Feeling Groovy, and say it’s pretty fitting for the situation. The song was written by Paul Simon and recorded in 1966 by Simon and Garfunkel. That first line is “Slow down, you move too fast.” Some feel that possibly God or our Higher Power is saying that we have been spending too much time on distractions and not enough on our values.

Maybe now is the time to look at what’s really important in life, like family and friends, and make them a priority. Some families are doing just that and they’re feeling a bit “groovy” because their relationships are getting better. They are experiencing positive feelings they haven’t felt for each other for a long time.

Where good feelings have developed, we can look at the situation as a beginning of relating to each other in more respectful and caring ways. The test will come when the stay at home order is lifted. We hope that the good feelings will continue to grow and get better.

You might wonder, how can those positive relationships happen in such a short time? It’s because good feelings develop with effort! Families are now doing more things together because they have more time together. They sometimes make meals together, eat together, play games, go for walks, and do other activities. But what’s critically important is that people say they are using good communication with each other, getting to know each other in a deeper way and sharing their feelings. They’re learning it’s best to work through differences and work together to reinforce the positives. They are confined with each other for a period of time that’s indefinite right now and they realize it will work out better when they show appreciation for each other.

Yet, not every family situation is so rosy. There are statistics that show an increase in domestic violence. Isn’t it interesting, though, that there are literally no statistics on the positive relationships that have developed during this time?

Yes, there are some people and families who tend to get more grouchy as this length of time of being together increases. If you want to feel better and enjoy time at home with family, let’s look at some ways that can help. Here are some ideas.

Nicholas Bate refers to “taking your MEDS” to stay in good physical and mental health. MEDS stands for “Mindfulness, Exercise, Diet and Sleep.” Good advice and easy to remember. We agree that when you take good care of yourself, your mood is the best. And having a routine helps to make life feel more normal. These things go a long way to feeling better, relating better to others and being a good “teammate.”

Even in the best of relationships, people need some personal space. You can always set boundaries about when you want to be together and when you need some time alone.

Nurturing positive relationships to have good communication and being willing to compromise can help things run smoothly. And when you find others doing something you like, show appreciation, as this will encourage them to increase those positive behaviors. Hopefully the ideas above will be helpful as we also follow Lily Tomlin’s advice, “For fast acting relief, try slowing down.”

How about you? Are you feeling grouchy or groovy?

We encourage you to look at how you and your family are handling this time together as we all wait for life to return to normal. What are the lessons you feel you are learning about yourself and your family? How can you make the most of this time and increase the caring you show for yourself and your family?

Some important lessons we all can learn is that this can be a special time to work on how we want life to be. It’s also a time to grow in understanding, love and caring for those around us. Remember, as the song says, “Slow down, you move too fast.” Wishing you the best as you slow down to enjoy life even more.

Chanhassen MN residents, Doug and Lynn Nodland are success coaches and owners of The Balance Center in Excelsior. Contact them at WeCare@TheBalanceCenter.com

© Doug and Lynn Nodland 2020 Articles and videos may be shared in their entirety with attribution.