Eat this, not that.

That's the name of book I that I haven't read. From the cover and skimming through it once, here's what I gather it's about- suggestions of things to eat in place of the super good but also super bad for you things, that maybe aren't quite as delicious, but also not as ineffective as denying yourself all the things you want. 

It's a helpful concept, because we aren't great at denying ourselves things. Take for instance asking the population to take several precautions for the sake of the community during a global pandemic. 

Early into the pandemic there was an article about cautioning people against the all or nothing attitude to risk-taking. They harkened back to the AIDS epidemic and how promoting abstinence only as the mitigation tactic just wasn't effective. But teaching people what they could do instead that would be significantly less risky for transmission was the game changer.

If I were going to write that book, it would actually be pretty short. Basically the "this" instead of the "that" would be do something similar, just outside or maybe online.

• Want to hang out with your friends? Just go outside (put on 12 coats if you have to!) and keep the distance that your not touchy-feeling introverted friend has always wanted you to have. 
• Go to a restaurant? Pick it up and eat outside. Eat at a not busy patio. Take it home and light a candle on your table and dress up... or wear your sweats like you actually want to.  
• Want to just go somewhere? Go somewhere outside where you won't be in crowds. Beach (sometimes), hiking, the MN Zoo when it's 0 degrees and just stay outside- you can even have the zoo all to yourself! Go for a walk, sledding, swimming, the park, whatever, just do it outside and enjoy the beautiful world you get to live in. And don't lick strangers. For so many other reasons besides a pandemic.
• Playing games with friends and it's too cold to pull that off outside or you live across the country and could only see each other with a ton of travel? Invest in some jackbox games and play over zoom. Every week. For a year! (or as often as you deem right for your people)

Basically this is a list of how I have continued to both stay sane and keep making choices that are less risky for my family and my neighbors. It's not 0 risk, but it's significantly less. Just like I'd much rather eat a giant piece of chocolate cake than the individual dove chocolates from my freezer, it's better than nothing. One day I'll be able to hug my family and my friends and invite everyone to my house and we can share food and travel and all the things. In the meantime, I'll be outside, finding some joy how I can right now.  

  
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