eSCAping Type 1

I recently wrote a post stressing the importance of taking risks and stepping out of comfort zones… and then we got our first heavy snow fall of the year. I know I’m not alone in the annual November question of why I still choose to live in Western New York. There are very few people who actually enjoy going outside in weather like this – and I guarantee none of them have Ataxia.

Mobility disabilities and snow do not mix in the slightest. When a carpeted floor can randomly steal your balance, the thought of literal ice is an actual nightmare. Maneuvering a wheelchair or rollator outside is practically impossible, especially when those shoveled surfaces still have those tiny deadly rifts that most people ignore. No amount of salt can combat the unexpected anxiety black ice brings.

Soooo what do we do?

Well, here are my suggestions on free(ish), productive ways to occupy your winter days indoors, whether you physically can’t go outside or you just don’t want to brave the snow.

1. Write

Did you not know this would be first on my list? Really though, I think everyone in the world should spend time writing at least once a week. Start with a journal – getting the thoughts and emotions out of your head is such amazing therapy, especially because it’s as private as you make it. Just write down what you did, and how you felt, and go from there. 

When I coached, I bought my cheerleaders notebooks & told the girls to use those instead of social media to vent. Not going to lie, it reduced bitchy subtweets that season a whole lot.

Can’t physically write? I hear ya. Use an app – like any of those listed here – for your phone or laptop, instead.

Feelings just aren’t your thing? Try bullet journaling. It’s literally just jotting down lists, and who doesn’t love the feeling of crossing off accomplished tasks?

And you might realize you actually enjoy writing! Use Google Docs to start that novel you always secretly dreamed of, or maybe your ideas come out better as poems, or song lyrics, or movie scripts… Personal essays and memoirs are all the rage right now – try writing one of those.

Remember, no one has to read it if you don’t want them to.

But, on the chance that you do indeed want people to read your writing, start a blog! Granted, it’s a lot more work than I initially planned, but entirely worth every second.

The number of people who have reached out to me since I started “eSCAping Type 1” is so overwhelming in the best possible way. From complete strangers to family friends to classmates I haven’t talked to in 10 years… I wish I could explain how full my heart gets whenever someone messages me or comments on a post. THANK YOU, READERS.

Plus, the author in me loves that this platform keeps me writing quality content for a real audience every week. It’s kind of scary, in a fun way. 

And the best part is, is you can blog on literally anything you’re passionate about – cooking, gardening, parenting, movies, dogs, traveling, photography, cleaning, motorcycles. I promise you there is someone out there who shares that interest and wants to read about it!

Which brings me to my next suggestion…

2. Read

Obviously this would be No. 2.

If my post on Books You Should (re)Read didn’t inspire you, let me try again. Reading is good for you! Do it!

Personally, I’m devoted to Book of the Month Club – a subscription that sends you whichever book you choose out of their five monthly recommendations, based on reader reviews and author popularity and a whole bunch of data.

Ok, so maybe physical books freak you out. Fine. Read blogs instead. I wasn’t lying when I said there’s a blog out there for every interest under the sun. Maybe you like Star Wars, or college basketball, or exotic animals, or conspiracy theories. I guarantee there’s a niche out there for you. And the nice (or annoying, take your pick) part is that blogs are written by everyday people, so they tend to have a laid-back, conversational tone. Plus, you have unlimited free access wherever you go.

Still haven’t convinced you? How about Audiobooks? If you’re not ready to buy an Audible subscription,  try Hoopla – it’s like an online audiobook library. Or, I’ve actually had a lot of success with YouTube – like Jake Gyllenhaal’s reading of The Great Gatsby (except for chapter 9, which will forever bug me).

3. Watch

What, binging Netflix doesn’t count as a “free, productive” way to spend time indoors? Well, when your sister pays for it (thanks, Madi) and you have a medical condition that actually leaves you bedridden with exhaustion some days (thanks, Ataxia), I say it counts as both.

Finding a good show with multiple seasons easily helps kill time stuck inside. I could probably watch Queer Eye every day and never get sick of it.

If you’re still feeling guilty, let me recommend YouTube (again). If you don’t like blogs (though something tells me you kind of do), perhaps there’s a vlog or two for you. The teacher in me is obsessed with Mental Floss, Thug Notes, and Ted Talks. And go ahead and judge me, but I love ASMR – it’s comforting and relaxing and just a generally positive environment. Don’t knock it till you try it.

4. Learn

YouTube is full of tutorials on ANYTHING you could hope to do… However, if it’s a language you want to learn, try DuoLingo. I recently started using to (re)learn Spanish. Why? Well, why not? I might not ever really use the language in real life, but after taking 10 years of Spanish classes in school, I feel like I should be a lot more proficient than I am. Plus the website honestly makes it fun and do-able with goals and challenges and games. 

Looking for something with no technological requirement? A few weeks ago, my Grandma taught me how to crochet. Seems like not a great hobby for someone with diminishing fine motor skills, huh? Yeah, I really suck at it. BUT it doesn’t matter. I don’t get frustrated because I don’t expect to be good at it. It’s an activity I can physically do that doesn’t jeopardize my safety in the slightest.

5. Exercise

Speaking of indoor activities you can do without risking safety… Granted, I don’t work out, but I know I should and so should you!

If you’re anything like me, you use every excuse in the book to avoid exercising. Starting with the fact that I don’t drive. But, if the random fitness accounts I follow on Instagram have taught me anything, it’s that you don’t need to go to a gym to get in shape. There are PLENTY of free videos – on YouTube, of course – that can get you active in the comfort of your own home, no equipment required.

Plus, with Facebook groups like “Ataxia & Fitness,” my disease really isn’t a good excuse either. There are full videos of entire workout routines you can do from a chair. The simple act of playing with Legos or PlayDo helps with fine motor skills. True, you’re either going to feel really young or really old, depending on which activity you do, but you’re not going out in public, so what have you got to lose?

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Feel free to share your own suggestions in the comments below. We’ve got about 2130 months of winter to go…