The other day I was working at my shared office space and a woman at the same desk as me was coughing. Was I thinking to myself, “Poor lady – I hope she’s okay”? Nope! I was thinking, “If what you have is catchy, I’m gonna be pissed.”

The World Has Changed

As the coronavirus makes it way to different parts of the planet, I wonder if it will arrive in my neighborhood. I’ve become acutely aware of my health and the health of those around me. By necessity, I’ve become better informed. Today, I’m feeling the loss of simpler times when I didn’t wait in grocery store lines wondering if the guy behind me holding a bag of Doritos was contagious.

If you don’t know what I’m speaking of when I say “coronavirus,” god bless ya’ and your ability to stay away from the news! The Center for Disease Control (CDC) can quickly get you up to speed.

Yesterday, the seventh person in Los Angeles County was diagnosed with the virus. That means it’s decision making time for me, my staff, our clients and guests.

To Cuddle or Not to Cuddle?

There are a lot of factors that go into assessing risk. We take the information we have and balance it with our level of comfort with the unknown. For instance, given that older people with health issues are getting hit the hardest by this virus, if you fit into that category it may impact what you feel safe doing.

For today, Cuddle Sanctuary will continue to offer events and services. Here’s the sign that will be outside our door:

And here’s our spiffy new health protocols.To increase our chances of staying in tip top shape, I invite you to join me in adopting the following healthy habits.

Wash Your Cute Hands More

Doesn’t washing one’s hands with soap feel slippery and nice? I sure think so. Notice the goodness and enjoy adding more of those sensual moments in your day. 

I didn’t realize that there are particularly smart times to wash one’s hands to avoid getting sick. I upped my hand washing game after reading this CDC article.

Singing Happy Birthday twice will help you keep scrubbing away for the right amount of time. If you’d like some variety, try singing a little song about how awesome you are.

Touch Your Lovely Face Less

My mom, Marilyn, is a retired nurse. She reminded me to touch my face less as a health precaution – particularly my eyes, nose and mouth. In the past few weeks I started to pay close attention and realized that I was touching my face quite a bit – like it was a hobby!

One way to change this habit is to just notice – maybe even count how many times a day you touch your face. Sometimes noticing is all that it takes to start curbing the habit. It’s working for me. I hope it works for you, too.

Give Your Feisty Immune System Some Love

Your immune system loves a good night of rest. It also thrives on calm and peacefulness – in other words, less stress. I hereby give you permission to sleep better and find more placid, pleasurable moments in your life – for your own good and the good of your community. Your immune system thanks you, and I thank you.

Attitude Boost

Happily the above habits will help you avoid not just COVID-19, but also the flu and the common cold. Keep up the good work, friends. As the comedian, Tom Papa says in his Netflix special, “You’re doing great.”