Routines, Systems and Fasting: California Stay at Home Order Day 3

Today is Day 3 of the official California Stay at Home Order due to the Chinese Corona Virus Pandemic. This morning we started a new family routine: Stacia, Ava Kalea and I all got up at 5 am and took a nice long walk with a quick stop at the beach / lifeguard tower in Del Mar. It was Stacia’s suggestion last night that started this routine and even though it will be a challenge to make it a habit – I think it will be a good one. I know that we’ve all accomplished A LOT more before 7 am than normal.

Getting up at 5am is really not that difficult – it actually feels like sleeping in for me, as I’ve been getting up at 3:25 am most mornings for the past couple of years. As they say, “The Early Bird Gets the Worm”, or in our case, gets outside and some exercise, before most people are awake. It definitely helps with social / physical distancing (new widely used terms in these days of Corona Virus / Covid 19 Pandemic. We did see a few people out and about – but not many. We saw a bakery delivery truck, the couple who run Elixir juice bar in Del Mar (I believe they also own the Americana restaurant next door), a guy looking to use the bathroom by the lifeguard station (they are locked up before sunset for some crazy reason), a couple random people who looked like they were waiting for rides or buses and towards the end of our walk, we saw another couple of people with a stroller. Their stroller had a sleeping infant, which was guarded by a couple of large, happy dogs.

One of the goals of getting up and going early is so that we can accomplish more during the day. Stacia has daily tasks she needs to get done for a handful of Virtually Famous Marketing clients before 7am – mostly managing Facebook groups. At my suggestion, after the initial work on clients’ Facebook groups, we will go into working on developing, marketing and selling Stacia’s digital and affiliate marketing products for at least one hour each day before going back into the daily marketing tasks that need to be done for her clients. Systems are real key in the success of any business – and ours is no exception. We are nailing them down and getting better each and every day. Our clients will continue to see the benefits – and so will we!

Although I have not been able to find any information online, today is an official day of fasting in the Mormon Church or the Church of Jesus Christ of Letter-Day Saints. They usually do fast from sun up to sun down (or at least skip two meals) on the last (?) Sunday of each month and donate the money they would have spent on the meals to the Church. I believe the call was made to fast today in the name of health and world healing from Covid 19. We are going to do our best to obey this today – although I am going to make sure that Ava Kalea at 3 years old is still going to eat, take her vitamins and stay strong (she is still getting over a cold).

Even though I have not been able to work outside the house in sometime, which is leading to some fairly major financial challenges, there have been personal and family benefits to this global pandemic. I want to be clear that I am not saying I’m glad that it’s happening or that anyone has gotten sick and/or perished – just that we are doing our best to stay positive, do what we can to help others and create new, healthy habits.

One positive side benefit is that I’ve been able to take some time to write for 3 days in a row now. The past couple of days I’ve written post about looking for neighbors in Del Mar who may need some help in these uncertain times – and that I’m looking for a non-profit group or organization to help through volunteering my time and skills as a Salesforce Administrator. I really do love to write and hope that my writing does help inspire others – and hopefully create some opportunities to serve others.

Oh by the way – wasn’t last night’s sunset awesome?

Also want to give a quick shout out to fellow Del Martian, Kevin Popovic, The Idea Guy and his sign outside his home on Stratford Court. I have a feeling that we may be able to collaborate in the very near future.

One final note for this post. Two days ago I took my friend and now former housemate, Kyle Leroux to the airport so he could fly home to Botswana. He had traveled across the world to be a Chef at the International Smoke Restaurant in One Paseo, but was laid off when the restaurant was forced to close. I’m glad that Kyle was able to make it home to his family and wish him the very best.