CHRISTINE: KEEP IT IN THE DAY
Christine Whitney is a fashion editor, writer and consultant who is currently socially distancing in Los Angeles with her husband, set designer Daniel Horowitz, their 15-month-old daughter Romy, and their cat, Mittens. I met her while doing rounds with journalists to pitch my collections, she was pregnant with her beautiful baby then, we sat in the coffee shops and discussed caffeine obsession (one cup a day for her at the time), digital platforms and brand strategies. I didn’t know then that she suffered from anxiety > sometimes we have things in common, even if it’s way underneath our social interaction.
CHRISTINE WITH ROMY CONTEMPLATING WILDFLOWERS. If you have a backyard, get some seeds or plant yours. Use watercolors / needlepoint to draw or decorate flowers around you.
“ANIMALS ARE TRULY THE MOST SOOTHING.” If you don’t have one, start a cats & dogs folder on your desktop.
FREEKEH PILAF WITH KALE, KOHLRABI, AND WILD MUSHROOMS (DIMES TIMES COOKBOOK) // photo: Mary Manning.
“STRUCTURE YOUR DAY BUT TRY TO BE IN THE MOMENT”
“TAKE A WALK.” Rediscover those city views you’ve never noticed when speeding through your busy day.
“I suffer from asthma and anxiety, which right now feels like a lethal combination.
But at this totally unmanageable moment in history, I am strangely grateful for the latter diagnosis, which has forced me to learn a lot of coping tools over the course of my life. I am currently calling on ALL OF THEM. The following tips may seem very obvious but they are helping me stay (mostly) calm and present through this bizarre new era one day at a time. Please DM me @christinerwhitney to share how you are dealing (or if you need help). We’re stronger together.”
how Christine reclaims her calm:
“Stay connected! Schedule FaceTime or Zoom calls with your friends and family - especially those who are alone right now. Talking on the phone or FaceTime works better for isolation than just texting, in my experience.
Read a new book. I asked friends for recs on Instagram and am about to start an LA detective noir.
Watch an old movie. I recommend anything Almódovar directed in the ‘80s.
Bake something. These chewy chocolate chip oatmeal cookies are currently a big hit in my house. I find baking to be very soothing and comfortably predictable.
Learn to cook a new dish. Just bought an Allison Roman cookbook and the cookbook from Dimes, my favorite restaurant in NYC.
Buy groceries/supplies for someone who is sick. Service is one of my most helpful antidotes to depression (though Zoloft, as prescribed by a physician is important for me too).
Meditate. This is extra crucial right now. I do Vedic meditation but also like Tara Brach’s guided ones, which are available online.
Take a bath, ideally with Epsom salts but any bath is good.
Take a walk, if you’re able to go outside.
Keep it in the day. Of course, make the necessary plans and preparations (I recently dealt with coordinating what will happen to my daughter, if my husband and I get very sick) but beyond that, projecting about what might happen or future suffering totally derails the present moment and prevents me from enjoying the beautiful experiences that still exist.
Limit exposure to the news. I try to check it just twice a day and from just two sources (LA Times for local updates and NY Times for the world updates). Having it blaring in the background and refreshing constantly heightens my feelings of panic and distracts from getting anything constructive done.
Make a schedule for your day, even if you are not working right now. Structure is helpful to me as a person with anxiety (which is most of us atm). It’s ok to stay in your pajamas for an extra hour but the ritual of getting dressed is somewhat mood-enhancing and feels good.
Pet a cat/dog/furry creature. The best advice any therapist ever gave me was to get a cat. Animals are truly the most soothing.
Stay in gratitude. I make a list of the things I am grateful for every day and send it to a group of friends. Any item with a “but” in it doesn’t count and I always try to list at least 10 things.
Most crucially - be kind to yourself and others. We all need each other right now, even though we can’t be together physically.”
CREATIVITY + HUMOR IN THE KITCHEN. CHANEL BREAD by Dave’s Grateful Bread
ROMY’S STATIONERY BY RUM CAKE STUDIO. Write to your loved ones. A real card - an e-card - draw your own card to express your feelings.
DIMES TIMES: EMOTIONAL EATING > “CLEAN AND BRIGHT” RECIPES FOR YOUR HOME.
FAMILY TIME BEFORE SELF ISOLATION.
CAT CAKE BY CHRISTINE’S MOM FOR ROMY’S BIRTHDAY.
“MAKE A LIST OF THINGS YOU ARE GRATEFUL FOR”
