Recently, Humana partnered with the USA TODAY Storytellers Project to produce “The Farthest You’ll Ever Be from Home,” an evening of storytelling where three astronauts and our Far From Alone campaign partners’ Deputy Chief Scientist and Director from TRISH shared what we can all learn from astronauts’ long and lonely missions in space. Watch highlights here or watch the full recorded stream here on YouTube.
5 tips from astronauts/scientists from the Storytellers Project
1. Help others…and you will help yourself.
Find ways to service others, whether it’s through volunteer work or focusing on a project or a simple favor for a neighbor that brings you joy. By helping others, you can feel less lonely and more connected to the world.
I discovered my new mission. I realized then that I had been blessed with the opportunity to fly in space so that I could come back to earth and work on these projects with these children…We should always be looking for ways to use our experiences to help make life better.
Astronaut Nicole Stott
2. Take time for gratitude.
Appreciating the little things in life, and perhaps writing down one thing you are grateful for every day, can help you keep a positive attitude during this pandemic and beyond.
Most of us have been isolated for nine months. We have been giving away a lot of the things that we like…But there are a lot of things that we still take for granted. Like…smelling the grass outside…talking to your family…just enjoying your favorite dish, your favorite foods…enjoying a hot cup of coffee…
Dr. Emmanuel Urquieta
3. Connect over food.
Have a weekly or monthly dinner with a friend, neighbor or loved one, whether it’s in person or virtually, having conversation while enjoying a meal together. We all may have our differences, but food is almost always a common ground!
We all have different kinds of traits that may or may not be attractive to the others…but we often would come together for meals. And I think that…there was a lot of diplomacy and ways that we connected over food.
Astronaut Cady Coleman
4. Have a daily routine and stick to it.
Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day—even when you don’t have to be anywhere the next day—can help your mind feel calm and give you a sense of consistency and purpose every day. Exercise and good nutrition are also helpful for stress relief and overall happiness.
Having a schedule is really important. Having exercise is really important, focusing on good nutrition…focusing on your sense of purpose and making sure that you have this routine and you stick to it.
Dr. Dorit Donoviel
5. Find your purpose.
Whether it’s a loved one, spirituality or something you love to do, find something that gives you purpose every day and brings you joy…and embrace it.
So perhaps you can find your own unshakable rock, your own stars, whatever they may be. You don’t need to go to space to find that. You should hold those things close and never let them go.
Astronaut Dr. David Hilmers
