Right now, there is so much uncertainty going on in the world that it makes it very hard to manage our worry and fear. The unknown often does this as that is one of the scariest things for a lot of people. With that said, panicking definitely does not help. In fact, it can make situations worse, and of course does not feel good. How do we separate our emotional selves from the panic going on in the world? The struggle is real. The world is basically shutting down. What does this mean? Well it’s impossible to know how things may go as of right now, but we know there are some ways we can take care of ourselves. We can be informed. We can take the necessary precautions. And we can take care of ourselves physically, emotionally and mentally. The physical part can be clearer to see, so here is a quick 6 step mindfulness guide to taking care of yourself and managing your emotional well-being.
- Awareness. Notice any anxiety provoking thoughts. We can’t control what happens out in the world but we can manage how we react in our minds.
- Stop. That means stop all thoughts momentarily. Stop all movements. Lean back in your seat. Make a point of telling your brain that you are not allowing these negative thoughts to continue.
- Breathe. When we feel anxious, our breathing tends to get shallow and fast. Take a few long deep breaths. This will help slow your heart rate down, bring clarity to your thoughts, and give you a little more control in the moment.
- Feel it. Drop into your body and notice where you feel the anxiety. Sit with this for 60 seconds. We must honor our feelings. I promise you that it will alleviate the feeling further.
- Positive affirmation. Make a positive statement to counteracts the fearful thoughts that were swimming around in your head. This is to help create new patterns of thought.
- Move on. Try to finally engage in some activity that make take all your focus our attention so your mind is not tempted to veer back to your worrisome thoughts.
It is unclear what may happen in the coming days, weeks, or months with the Coronavirus / Covid-19, but the truth is, we all have had to deal with many difficult situations in our lives, and we will most likely experience many more. We will get through this one way or another. We will learn, grow and gain wisdom from this that will help us somewhere else down our paths.
For any questions or comments, feel free to contact Troy