Tag: corona

Categories
Life

Top 10 Lockdown Sanity Tips

More lockdowns across Australia in recent months means more people losing their minds. So what are some ‘survival’ lockdown tips for your sanity? 

Here are the one’s that I’ve collected and found particularly helpful:

  • Do plenty of resting, and enjoy this ‘forced time off’ with things you didn’t have time for.
    Reading that book you keep putting off, or maybe moving forward with that craft project you’ve had sitting in the corner for the past six years… I love a good siesta, so having a nap or a relaxing afternoon with no work, is a good thing!
  • Dress up each day …most days).
    Getting dressed in ‘work clothes’ instead of PJ’s or sweats can be helpful to put you in a motivated type of mood. Even though I don’t put as much effort into it as when I’m physically leaving the house for work (and let’s face it, most days not wearing makeup), I still put something semi respectable on.
  • Start a new project, or home hobby.
    If you’re creative, you’ll know EXACTLY what project or hobby you’ve always wanted to get started. If you’re not automatically creatively inclined, you can still get something going!
    Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn to bake, paint, garden a pot plant, or start those diamond pictures. Whatever it is, there are loads of options that you can choose from!
  • Don’t obsess over the news.
    Sometimes we can find out focus in the wrong places. Yes, it’s good to keep up to date with what’s going on in the world, BUT obsessing over daily numbers, tragedy’s, or general negativity that you can find there, is not healthy. Try to catch up weekly, or just skim the headlines on your phone instead.
  • Binge watch your fav show, or a a new one.
    There are a lot of streaming services out there, and there’s also this neat invention called a ‘DVD’ (and yes, I still love those. Don’t believe me? Check out my video where I talk about why I love them so much HERE). So, if you suddenly find yourself with a lot more time than normal, it’s the perfect time to get your favourite show in – or start that one that’s been on your watchlist for far too long.
  • Take a relaxing bath.
    Even if you aren’t doing all the bubbles, fizzers, or various other “girly” type products, a bath is a way to break the routine of slouching around in your PJ’s. Maybe you’re doing it with the face masks and candles, or maybe you’re just relaxing in the hot water. Either way, a bath can be super relaxing.
  • Try writing a story.
    Even if you aren’t an author or blog writer, sometimes getting a pen and paper (or laptop, typewriter, whatever you like really) and coming up with a story can be really stimulating. You can get out frustrations with your situation, you can fantasise over how you wish things were, or you could just imagine a world far, far away that is NOTHING like our current one.
    Get those creative juices flowing!
  • Stay connected to friends and family with technology.
    There are a lot of ways to stay in touch with the people you love. If you aren’t able to see them in person right now, you can always call, text, or facetime with the people you care about. Catch up with them, share what you’ve done during lockdown, or have a junk food or movie party together!
  • Go outside, instead of online.
    Computers and the internet are great, but going outside, can be really good for you (unless it’s bucketing down with rain). It can break the monotony of being inside, and can bring those endorphins if you’re exercising.
  • Listen to a podcast or audiobook.
    Sometimes a screen isn’t the answer. It’s easy to sit down and watch hours and hours of TV, but a podcast or audiobook can be a great way to pass the time. Listen to a story, or something interesting in a podcast.

Whatever you find works, STICK WITH IT. Maybe it’s some of the lockdown tips on my list, or maybe it’s something else. Whatever keeps you sane, we’re all just doing the best we can, in a really unusual time.

If you want to read my book, head to the link >>>here for the KIDNAPPED Entanglement eBook, OR get the paperback direct from me for the cheapest price!

If you have any other lockdown tips and tricks, share them in the comments below and let’s support each other.

See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace

Categories
Life

Birthday In Central Park…? | I SPY, IN JULY

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Butterflies exploding in my face, non alcoholic jelly shots, and heading out to central park (even in lockdown)… Interesting birthday moments

My birthday was great, even in lockdown (again!) – and I’m glad I got to share some of it with you guys!

>>Check all about my first book – KIDNAPPED Entanglement >>>here

Thanks for celebrating my birthday with me!

I Spy In July is almost at an end – but there’s still some amazing videos to come! Check out the playlist for the ones so far
If you want to read my book, head to the link >>>here for the KIDNAPPED Entanglement eBook, OR get the paperback direct from me for the cheapest price!

Don’t forget to check back every night this month for another video – there are some pretty fun things coming!

See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace

Categories
Life

Making The Most of Lockdown | I SPY, IN JULY

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Well, it’s lockdown time again in Victoria 🙁
All the sad emoji’s in the world couldn’t convey how some of us feel…

HOWEVER, even in the angst, I am determined to make the BEST out of a bad situation.
How am I making the most out of lockdown you ask? Well, I’m showing you by taking you on my ‘lockdown vlog’

>>Check all about my book – KIDNAPPED Entanglement >>>here

If you want to read something in the lockdown (or just in general), head to the links below to grab my book! It’s a Christian suspense and will keep you on the edge of your seat all the way until the end.
If you want to read my book, head to the link >>>here for the KIDNAPPED Entanglement eBook, OR get the paperback direct from me for the cheapest price!

Don’t forget to check back every night this month for another video – there are some pretty fun things coming!

See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace

Categories
Fiction

Body in The Freezer | Short Story

Susan walked through the aisles at the supermarket and frowned. All the frozen vegetables were nowhere to be seen, just like the other shelves.
The panic over the world outside, had caused ‘panic buying’ but because she hadn’t gotten in on it, there was now nothing on the shelves.

Sighing and rolling her eyes, she pushed her trolley further down the aisle, hoping that the next freezer door held something on the other side. A wide smile spread across her face as she spotted it, the last bag of frozen peas. Excited, Susan leant down and yanked open the door, reaching deep into the bottom of the freezer. A woman with red hair beside her suddenly dove down as well, and grabbed the corner of the same bag.
“That’s mine! I saw it first,” The woman screamed, looking left and right. With no witnesses, she yanked at the bag. Susan refused to let go of the bag which was rightfully hers, “No you didn’t.” She said as she pulled back on the bag.

The woman scowled and pulled harder, splitting the bag open and allowing all the peas to clink onto the floor. They scattered along the tiles and the woman dropped the bag, shuffling her trolley away with a scowl, “You were right. It is your bag,” She said as she disappeared around the corner.
Susan exhaled and shook her head, still nobody in the aisle to witness the incident. She was sure the guys in the camera rooms were laughing, and were going to let her deal with it herself. The thought of leaving it for someone else to clean briefly popped into her mind, but she shook it loose and dropped onto her hands and knees, picking up as many peas as she could.

As she scooped up the last of the peas, Susan spotted a piece of another vegetable. It was red, and she reached forward for it, her fingers slipping as it made contact. It wasn’t solid; it wasn’t a vegetable. Soup. Someone must have dropped some sort of tomato soup, or sauce on the floor. She groaned and wiped the substance on her dark jeans, getting up onto her feet and putting the broken bag of dirty peas into the front part of her trolley. She’d hand it to a staff member and explain what happened. Maybe she’d mention the sauce stain while she was at it.

Steven took the bag of frozen peas from the customer and waited until she had disappeared into another aisle before he rolled his eyes and turned to Abigail.
“People are getting worse. This damn panic buying.”
Abigail rolled her eyes in return and nodded, “Yeah. But what can we do about it?” She pulled her restock trolley closer towards the end of the aisle and smiled, “Do you want me to check out the sauce stain?”
Steven shook his head, “Nah. Keep restocking, I’ll grab a rag and deal with it.”

He moved towards the frozen aisle with a small rag, his footsteps landing hard on the ground. He’d been on shift for seven hours already, and was almost finished. Then he could go back to his wife and kids. Although with the kids stuck doing school at home, maybe the extra hour would be a blessing in disguise.

As he reached the freezer, he frowned at the large puddle of what appeared to be tomato soup. The woman had only said it was a smudge, but this was a large puddle. He kept moving closer and checked for other customers. With nobody else around, Steven froze as he leant over the top of the freezer.
It had been emptied out of vegetable packets, but something else had taken it’s place. The woman was stuffed into the corner, a large wound on the back of her head. Her eyes were wide open, but no part of her was moving. Steven saw the blood trail leading to the puddle of what he had thought was soup and dry heaved.

Taking a breath, Steven slid the door open and reached his hand down to check for the pulse he was sure wasn’t there. Pushing back her hair he felt her neck, the cold already reaching his own hand. When he was satisfied that she was dead, he pulled is radio out of his belt and pushed down to talk.
“We have a situation in Aisle Seven with a red headed woman.”

See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace

Categories
Hannah Carmichael Chronicles Life

From the Shadows, To the LIGHT

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A secret company which works in the shadows of the spy community. Claiming to be a force for good, but really a force for profit, war and chaos!
Sound familiar? (Apart from every other spy movie out there) – That’s because Hannah Carmichael (my super spy character) is dealing with such an agency called CGT!

These shadowy agencies are fun for a conspiracy hit in a spy story, but the way they operate is similar to the feelings some people are having right now. Stuck in the shadows, in a dark place with the light not shining through yet.

Some of us are trapped in lockdowns and self isolation which feels dark and we are being bombarded with negative thoughts, emotions and options.
I’ve had some tough days and a tough week over the last few months, but there were some things that I discovered about myself, about negativity and about bringing the light into my situation – which you can as well!

I love light. It pierces the dark so amazingly, that it just doesn’t exist anymore. Hannah Carmichael is trying to bring CGT out of the shadows and into the light, where it can be examined and stopped! That’s what we should be doing to our own shadowy agencies. Our thoughts that we are alone, that things will never go back to a place of ‘normal’, that we aren’t enough. These thoughts, these negative feelings and emotions need to be brought out of the shadows and into the light. Why? Because you take away their power.

Once you bring something to the light; you talk about it, admit it (even to yourself), work through whatever triggered it, and move through it – you take away it’s power. An unspoken word can often have more power than a spoken word. It’s hard to admit that you’re struggling, it’s hard to admit that you need help, it’s hard to take a step towards the light. It might seem comfortable where you are in the shadows; nobody will understand, I’ll sound crazy, people will think i’m just complaining all the time – NO!
Bringing a thought to light, takes away it’s power and allows your brain to process it and move on.

So in these times of isolation, reach out to someone, reach out to a helpline, and smash your shadows with the light!
If you want to see how Hannah Carmichael is looking at smashing CGT into the light, check out the link below:
https://atomic-temporary-148610121.wpcomstaging.com/2020/03/10/gunstoacquire-hcc67/

I hope you’re all doing okay, and staying safe.

See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace