Book Nerds Know How to Destress

Nearly an entire year has gone by and most, if not all, of us are social distancing. I’m lucky enough to get to self-isolate. Staying home means I get more writing done anyway. Leaving my house for any reason, even before the pandemic, cut into my production time, so I guess I self-isolated before it became the thing to do. While I’ve always enjoyed being at home and I certainly have a passion and need for writing, what I didn’t have before but inherited with the pandemic like a creepy house my great aunt left me (I don’t have relatives rich enough to leave me houses, creepy or not) is a whole lot of stress.
 
They say there’s good and bad stress but how do you tell the difference when there’s so much of it you feel as if you’re drowning in it? I think that’s the question most of us are asking ourselves. That and how do I create under such conditions?
 
Maybe us artistic types are too tuned in to our feelings, but I think a lot of us, regardless of personality and other factors, feel the stress. Yes, some more than others. I’m not a frontline worker but I can imagine they have a whole lot of creepy house piled on top of them. I grateful for their service and sacrifice.
 
They only thing I have to give is stories, so I’ve focused my attention on that. It’s what I can contribute. I’ve always liked a book that makes me forget about the world for a little while, writing and reading a like. It seems we all need a way to unwind. A good fluffy romance or cozy mystery, and a soak in a tub is my idea of relaxation. If you’re reading this, then chances are you’re a reader and/or writer, so you love sinking into a good book too, although your genre and choice of environments might be different.
 
There’s not a wrong way to relax and destress. For you, it could be running three miles or spending time in nature (I enjoy this one too). Whatever does the job, right? Just don’t rule out the power of a good book.
 
Book nerds know.