Hey lovely folks! With vaccines on the way, we can finally see a light at the end of this pandemic tunnel. But we probably won’t get there before Christmas. So, for those of us alone & in lockdown over the holidays, how can we make it through this time in good cheer? 😊❤️/Thread
This is obviously going to be a different holiday season for us. Some are separated from family & friends they cannot visit. Others have loved ones who are emergency workers who have to stay on the front lines. Many of us are afraid of loneliness. But there is hope. /1
Holidays under hardship conditions can seem scary… but they can also be beautiful, in a strange, life-changing way. But we need create space for these moments of sublime. That means taking steps to ensure you actually have a break this season. /2
For many folks – myself included –work has helped distract us from isolation & fear. So, even if you need a break, you might be afraid of taking one under lockdown conditions. Busyness might seem better than loneliness, right? No! There’s another way. /3
This is my first pandemic, but I have had many holidays overseas and under hardship conditions. I used to be terrified of the loneliness, but I have learned that I can do it… and be happy. The key is to have the right attitude and a solid plan. /4
Let’s make a holiday plan together now. 😊❤️Earmark a few consecutive days on your calendar for your break. With our new work-from-home lifestyles, the temptation to finish projects will railroad our break straight through to January. Don’t wing it. Pick your dates and commit! /5
Remember: even under normal conditions, the first day of holidays feels weird. Going from 100mph to zero is uncomfortable. 🙃 This year, it will be too easy to scurry back to your computer to distract from the quiet. So, once you have your dates, we will need a plan. /6
Let’s treat this like a real vacation, as if we are going to the beach. Auto-replies on. Zero work projects. And highly recommended is a digital detox, which means unplugging from all these rage-filled social media apps! Our goal is maximum Zen. 🙏🏽🧘🏽‍♀️ /7
Now that we have made space on our calendars, what do we do with ourselves? Well we aren’t going to stare at the walls. Rather, we can each develop our own “holiday plan” to guarantee that this time is blessed and joyful. Let’s make this super fun. 🥳🤗😍 /8
First, regardless of how many days you have booked off, let's set aside one as a “lazy day”. That day is for reading novels, playing video games, or watching the entire director’s cut of Lord of the Rings in your pyjamas. Just melt into the couch. 🤤/9
But that can’t be our entire holidays. One lazy day is bliss… 5 is cabin fever and misery. Set time aside for art, music, and baking… and also, for activities outside your comfort zone. If we want to find those moments of sublime, our plan needs a bit of adventure. /10
When I’ve been forced to shelter in place or restrict my movement in other disasters, it was very satisfying to pursue a “personal challenge” that gave me a sense of control over my destiny. A "personal adventure" is an awesome way to spend a holiday in a disaster. /11
Here are some of my own “challenge” ideas, which you are welcome to borrow as you develop your own. Of course, everyone can create their own holiday plan, and I would LOVE to hear your ideas. But here are 3 of mine that have never failed me. /12
First, a *physical* challenge is a great way to re-establish a feeling of control in your body. This was especially true for me in times where my movement was restricted because of war or gender violence. A new physical challenge puts me back in my body with strength. /13
Whatever your version of a physical challenge is, make it part of your holiday break. Do a winter hike. Run stairs like Rocky Balboa. Meditate in the park every morning. Join that outdoor Tai Chi class from a safe distance. Let’s go for it. 😊 💪🏽 /14
Second, a *service* challenge can be awesome, especially during the holidays. There are a lot of opportunities these days. Packing meals, sewing masks, or with so many folks out of work, volunteering to review resumes or mentor folks on the job market. /15
Your “service challenge” doesn’t have to be a one-off. It could be about finding your niche for the whole winter. FWIW, everyone I know who has stayed happy during this pandemic has a service role, incl. folks who are working overtime & who been financially affected. /16
hird, my favourite of all is the *connection* challenge! When I first started working abroad, phone calls were $3 /min. I was extremely lonely & started writing letters. When I got one back, it was incredible… like that moment in the Wizard of Oz when it turns to color. /17
Those early days taught me that the harder we fight for a connection, the more powerful that connection becomes. The harder the obstacles, the greater the expression of love is. This is more beautiful than 1000 frivolous parties. ❤️❤️❤️/18
Most of us already know this because we have done a million things through this pandemic to reach each other. We can now embrace this “connection challenge” with even more sparkle. We can send cards and care packages and do holiday drop-offs. /19
Our gestures do not have to be grand or fancy in order to be beautiful. The love we show will amplify on its own. The harder we fight for it, the stronger our love will be. This I can promise you. 💪🏽❤️ /20
For me, this is the best part of these strange pandemic holidays. We will likely never see the world or ourselves from this perspective again. So, how can I be my most loving, generous, and creative self, right now, right here? /21
Let us rejoice in this imperfection! Even if we burn our cookies & only do ¼ of our challenges, it can be blessed and beautiful. Any good faith effort pays dividends. And so, in these most unusual times, may all your holidays be merry and bright! ❤️🎄🌟

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More from @ProfAishaAhmad

17 Oct
Hello lovely folks! Most of us are now deep in lockdown 2.0. Since writing about the six-month wall, many people asked me about how to take a “mental shore leave”. Here’s my plan, which might help you think creatively about yours. Good luck! 😊🙏🏽❤️ THREAD
Most of us cannot take an actual leave from our pandemic-stressed work and family lives. But to get through this six-month wall & emerge happy, it is imperative to take a break. So, how am I going create a psychic retreat for the next 4 weeks to recharge my batteries? /1
Well, I have come up with 2 parallel mental shore leave strategies: daily reprieves & weekly retreats. First, I need more rest & quiet time each DAY. Second, I need a full day off once a WEEK. In my crazy busy life, this sounds impossible. But here’s how I am doing it. /2
Read 16 tweets
9 Oct
To the brides & grooms who have to adapt their weddings for lockdown 2.0: Take heart! We did it in June on a lawn. Be courageous in your love. 💖💪🏽 Mini-thread.
First, I admit that I ugly cried trying to learn how to do my own hair & makeup, especially given that I’m more of a bookworm than a pretty girl. I’m so grateful to @ProfAgard & @RTVLaw for listening to me cry on the phone & reassuring me it would be ok. It was.
Second, I also did not get to wear my big beautiful wedding dress with the train. It couldn’t be hemmed under lockdown, so I ordered a white dress off the Internet, doing my best with the sizing chart. Arrived on time, with a trusty zipper in the back.
Read 10 tweets
20 Sep
The 6 month mark in any sustained crisis is always difficult. We have all adjusted to this "new normal", but might now feel like we're running out of steam. Yet, at best, we are only 1/3 the way through this marathon. How can we keep going? THREAD /x
First, in my experience, this is a very normal time to struggle or slump. I *always* hit a wall 6 months into a tough assignment in a disaster zone. The desire to "get away" or "make it stop" is intense. I've done this many times, and at 6 months, it's like clockwork. /2
This time, our crisis is global and there is nowhere to run. That's OK. I've had to power through that 6 month hump before and there is life on the other side. Right now, it feels like we looking ahead at long, dark wintery tunnel. But it's not going to be like that. /3
Read 11 tweets
30 Aug
My dept has advertised this job. Please apply. But, as a Brown Muslim woman in this dept, I also have to some truth to share. Real talk. ❤️🙏🏽 THREAD.
First, for the record, I am a tenured Assoc Prof in this dept and have served on half a dozen EDI initiatives at the university. I am also a multiple award-winning researcher & lecturer. I have 2 teaching prizes AND 3 distinguished research prizes. /1
Bad news up front. You can tell from the job ad, this approach to EDI hiring is problematic. My friend and colleague Dr. Rinaldo Walcott highlighted the problems with the ad with this simple tweet. /2
Read 14 tweets
13 Apr
This is an important issue, especially as we increase restrictions on parks. Access to green space is crucial for mental health. But we need to share. THREAD. /1
Importantly, we are all still allowed to go for a walk, either alone or with members of our households. Keep your distance, but walk around your neighbourhood. The restrictions are on park amenities, not getting fresh air outdoors. /2
Confinement is a very, very serious source of psychological stress. It is one of the hardest parts of living in a disaster. The fact that this refugee family from Syria is having a hard time keeping children indoors should give you some context. /3
Read 7 tweets
1 Apr
Hey Toronto! 😊❤️ Are you distressed at the prospect of 12 weeks of lock down? Take heart! First, I promise that your feelings will shift & that you can be happy & well during this period. We are going to do this together, & it's going to be awesome. /1
To start, know that your feelings today are not going to last all summer. It's just a transition period. Right now, it feels like your whole world has been taken away, but that's just because you haven't hit your creative adaptation phase yet. Trust the process. /2
It's upsetting when our expectations & plans are overturned. Give yourself a moment to grieve. 🙏🏽 But don't let your grief trick you into thinking you're going to suffer every day. That's not happening. Your mind & body will adjust. Joy & freedom are still on the table. /3
Read 12 tweets

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