How to manage your well-being and thrive during this Pandemic of 2020
There is no doubt that this unexpected pandemic is teaching us a lot about ourselves, our lives, the world, and our future. It is imperative to use this time wisely and make the best out of it. It is a time to relearn how to cope, how to work, how to stay healthy, and how to connect. There is such an importance in this time to look within and find out who you are and what you really need. Our daily normal lives have shifted and we are presented now with the task of adapting or fighting the changes needed to survive this. You need to ask yourself this question. Are you willing to adapt and thrive now? Or are you going to remain in a place of fear, stress, grief, and negativity. You are allowed to feel sad and grieve the changes we are all facing and I hope you do. I hope you hold space for the sadness and uncertainty of this time. I hope you feel aware of the things that are going on and become so self-aware that it takes you to a place of acceptance so you can change. We are all grieving in our own way. This pandemic has brought on grief by costing many lives, jobs, identities, lifestyle, and routines. Our identity was formed around our life and its okay to grieve this huge and complicated change. The key is to not remain in this negative mind set. We have no other choice but to be here in this time and the faster you accept it and work on managing it in the best way that you can, the faster you can be in a place of thriving and not just surviving.
There is no doubt that our stress levels have increased. Our lives have completely been altered. Some are risking their lives to save others, taking on the emotional turmoil of watching this virus take lives. Some are out of work completely and trying to continue their lives as best as they can. Some are isolated at home and trying to manage their new normal and create healthy practices for themselves. The struggle is real! The struggle to manage financially, emotionally, physically, spiritually, energetically and even all at once! This has been a true test of our faith, our mental health, and our ability to thrive instead of just simply survive. I am in no position to speak on anyone else’s struggle other than to say that I see you, hear you, and validate you. I hope you validate yourself as well. Validate the difficulty of this situation and how it is unique to you.
Our cortisol levels have increased due to being in a constant state of fight or flight. We want to survive through this in whatever way we are struggling. If you feel yourself exhausted or feeling like you need to relax this is why. Our isolation is promoting a lot of thinking and not enough doing. This can present a lot of anxiety into our lives. I encourage you to channel this anxious energy into what you can control vs. what you cannot and the unknown. Focus on promoting calming feelings, reset and relax, promote feelings of productivity and accomplishments, promote feelings of excitement and love. These feelings will help to calm you and release anxiety. Practice being mindful in your daily life to what is coming up for you and what you need to do to cope and heal. Once you take these steps of recognizing the things that you need, then you can implement the activities that will help you to manage and thrive during this time. As your cortisol levels are highest in the morning, it is best to get goals accomplished for your day in the morning and let it fade into the afternoon. You’ll feel that you are making your biology work best for you instead of feeling like you are chronically in a state of crisis. Hone in the growth that this experience is harboring for you.
Isolation is a tough thing AND we are capable of overcoming it. Perspective is everything. You hold power in shifting your mindset to get through this. Let go of what is no longer serving you. You deserve to live the life you want and now is the time to do so as we have such a valuable gift of time right now. This time has brought up the changes that need to be made and the energy that has needed to be aligned. I want you to think closely on the things that you can tap into during this time.
Creativity
Connection
Slowing Down
Going Within
What fills up your cup and how can you continue to make it work or even improve during this time?
Creativity is a powerful tool to help you thrive. You are pouring yourself into whatever makes you, you and what makes you happy. I encourage you to continue and increase your creativity during this time. It can be a new thing that you have always wanted to try, it can be work related, it can be artistic, aesthetically, it can be fun, it can be a multitude of things. Right now a lot of us who are creative at work have lost our outlet. I want you to think outside the box here and tap into that creativity in a different way. Brush up on your skills and learn a new one, find free or discounted materials online to learn (workshops, classes, meditations, groups, training’s, etc), read new books, listen to podcasts, de-clutter your mind and try and discover new ways to tap into that wonderful creativity.
Us as social beings need connection to survive. It is actually proven that connection calms us and reduces the cortisol levels in our system. We feel less alone and an increased ability to survive when we are connected. This time has increased loneliness for a lot of us and it’s time to get creative in our social connections. I want to give a huge thank you for those who have been practicing social distancing and really fighting the urge to connect physically as it has shown to make a difference in this time. I have seen such great ways people are supporting each other through distance like car parades for birthdays, zoom meetings for important and special moments, porch deliveries of goods to surprise those you love, financially supporting businesses through ordering products, sending thoughtful financial surprises to friends and loved ones so they can survive in hard times, face-time and constantly checking in, and establishing fun and creative virtual hang outs to continue to harbor that wonderful connection you have with the ones you love. Make the time you are connecting extra special.
This is the perfect time to slow down, go within, and make time for the things that will best nurture your soul. This is a reset and I hold an abundance of gratitude for it. I see a lot of my friends getting beautiful family time, I have gained so much time to be home with myself and cook, clean, rest, and learn. I have learned about myself, I have learned about others, I have learned a lot of new things for my businesses. This is a crucial time to value time and value you. Be intentional during this time and make it count. Devote an hour a day, at least, to healing and going within. It will teach you a lot and be willing to learn.
Some helpful tools that I have come across during this time are to have clear boundaries with others and yourself. There are a lot of opinions flouting around out there and if you get caught up in that, it can shift your mood and mindset. Be careful of the things that you are engaging in with others and even on social media. Set boundaries with yourself with the news, in your home with your routine and with work. It is not easy being home for a significant amount of time. Do things to try and separate your work day if working from home, and your leisure time at home. They can easily be blurred together and interfere with your productivity. Create a space for work that harbors your work ethic, creativity, and positive mindset. Create a check list for yourself each day for accountability. I have found that when I feel good, I am doing good. A healthy routine, healthy eating, healthy boundaries, healthy connections all will help you do good things and work during this time. Limit the amount of negative talking to others and self-talk. Fill yourself up with knowledge, hobbies, goals, and positivity. It will help you more than you know. To keep your mind distracted on good things right now is key. Weed out the negative. Its the perfect time to clean up your life and do it for you. Change starts with you and you have all the power to do so. This time is teaching you many things and focus on that.
You may feel lost and confused when it comes to coping during this time. Remember who you are and what works best for you. To cope inside/outside safely you can:
Stretch, workout, dance, sing, meditate, breathe, baths
clean, organize, purge, home projects, self-care practices
walk, soak in the sunshine on a nice day, lay out or have a picnic, connect with nature
cook, make teas, cocktails, bake
write, read, listen to music/podcasts, journal
paint, create things, watch movies, documentaries
connect with loved ones and friends
start your day with washing your face with cold water (the refreshment of it will help)
Fear is a heavy emotion. It teaches us and warns us about things we need protection from, and it can also be irrational and cause us unnecessary worry. Our soul knows what we need and I urge you to trust it. Trust you are doing the best you can right now AND you are gaining the tools to work through this. Have compassion and grace for yourself during this time. You do not have to be perfect, you do not have to be productive all of the time, you do not have to have all of the answers. Do not live in fear and ego. Our ego’s job is to keep us safe and often times will thrive on the irrational fear and keep us in a place of comfort. As we know, change does not happen in our comfort zone and I ask you to push through it and become uncomfortable. Surrender and know that timing is everything and that this time is teaching you and will pass. This too shall pass. There are sunnier days ahead. Do not rush through the discomfort. Allow it to change you into the best version of yourself and come out of this a whole new you. This difficult time is not in vain.
We can honor the ones who have suffered the most through this and increase our gratitude for our own lives and experiences. We can honor our own suffering and allow it to make us stronger, gain a new perspective, come out of this more knowledgeable, goal oriented, filled with love for ourselves and others, and grateful for life. You can thrive and survive during this time. I hope this helped to lay out some helpful tools and information to assist you in shifting your perspective and thrive.
Katie Parent, LMSW
Strengthen The Soul