Pockets of comfort in hard times

Plus: Tips for staying connected

View this email online LA Johnson/NPR Friends, Russia invaded Ukraine yesterday, and the world seems to have shifted.   Even after weeks of bracing for an attack amidst speculation, global tensions and diplomatic attempts to stave off invasion – the reality of war is always a shock to the system.    There are so many more questions than answers.  Perhaps among the first batch on your mind: How did we get here? What does this all mean? Or maybe, What does this mean for my life? What can I do about it? We’ve been asking ourselves the same things. What we have to offer you today is the simple truth that sometimes when you don’t have all the answers, it’s OK to look for what you can control and seek comfort where you can.    Newsletter continues after sponsor message While we wait for more information, don’t forget to nourish and care for yourself in other ways: 🏃🏻‍♀️ Get moving. Do something that feels good for your body and helps you get out of your head. We’ve got lots of tools to help: whether that’s deep cleaning or comfort decorating to create a cozier space, tips on learning a new skill or jump starting your exercise routine.  🍴 Nourish yourself. The kitchen is a safe space for a lot of us. Maybe this is the weekend that you finally recreate Grandpa’s famous lasagna, or learn how to make a prettier pie, or maybe just lose yourself in some kitchen organization. Don’t have every ingredient for that lovely Deb Perelman dessert? Don’t stress – we’ve got you covered on how to make food substitutions, simple.  💚 Connect. When the news is scary, it’s easy to get lost in our own heads. Reach out to loved ones instead. That could look like sitting down to write an actual letter to a relative, spending time with neighbors, playing (or creating!) games with family, or even taking the time to write down those generational stories.  Life Kit is uniquely positioned in the NPR newsroom. As a service journalism team, it’s our mission not only to inform, but to be helpful. We deal not only in cold hard facts, but also in caring and in kindness.  Listen to the episode In this turbulent time, we invite you to do the same. It’s important for all of us to stay informed citizens of the world, and also to remember: take it easy on yourself, and on each other.  –Andee Tagle, Life Kit producer   💡 What's a hack that's changed your life? 💡   Send us a note at LifeKit@npr.org or leave us a voicemail at 202-216-9823. Your life tip could appear on an upcoming episode of Life Kit or in our video series on Instagram!   Thanks for reading! Look out here for next week's episodes on: 📰 Anxiety and the news | 🎨 Creative practices | 🔧 Being handy Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: LifeKit@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Daily News, Code Switch, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Life Kit emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy