Sit down. Here, have a mug of tea – a cup of coffee.
How are you holding up?
The world is a scary, uncertain, and overwhelming place right now. Some days, the media speaks so loud – and often – it is hard to hear yourself think over the constant barrage of updates. It’s information overload.
When the world is chaotic, my anxiety spikes. My own internal ever-constant shitstorm grabs onto the world’s shitstorm and snowballs. Something has to stop the hamster wheel from racing off into oblivion; so, when I am unable to control the outside world, I’ve found that is one of the best times to turn inward and focus on what I can do. Right now, we’re not powerless. We just have to redefine our power through a shift in perspective. For me, sometimes, that is achieved through centering myself in practices and daily rituals – defining new ones, even – that give a sense of order and stability when the world around is less-so. Sometimes, it mandates curating the thoughts I have or the media I ingest.
I’m a “silver lining” person. A realist with anxiety constantly whispering “okay, but, what if?” in my ear – is this a Big Mood for anyone else? – but I try to find the positive in every situation. It’s been a coping strategy for my anxiety and my battle with Lyme & Co-Infections for as long as I can remember. It’s important to be able to sit with our pain – the grief, anger and frustration, anxiety, hopelessness, fear, and every other emotion we’re feeling right now – but, for me, it is important to also take steps for self-care so I do not wallow in negativity, because that has equally negative ramifications as avoidance.
Recently, a good friend and I had a conversation about the precarious need for balance between sitting in – or with – uncomfortable emotions and pulling oneself out. Later, while reflecting on the conversation, my friend sent this message which said: “A battery that is always positive or negative doesn’t function; a battery requires both positive and negative – in the right balance – to operate.”
So, while the world outside is scary and we’re faced with a jumble of unpleasant emotions that weigh us down, I’ve turned my home into a sanctuary. My perspective is not that I am forced to social distance or that I’m trapped inside. My personal mantra is now an amalgamation of: “I am gaining wonderful opportunities…opportunities to help my community by participating in an activity that keeps it safe; an opportunity to interact with loved ones and family (at home with my parents, or via phone and internet) in a deep and more frequent manner; an opportunity to center my priorities; an opportunity for stillness before the chaos of starting a business and new life post-grad; an opportunity to take part in activities or tasks I’ve not had the time to otherwise; an opportunity to rejuvenate from the burnout I’ve been feeling; and an opportunity learn more deeply and broadly with that newfound sense of rejuvenation.”
In addition to shifting my perspective – a bit of a constant “glass half full” mental exercise – I’ve been re-framing my thoughts onto what I can do – or can control. This is a huge stress and anxiety reducer for me. It’s a long list that I mix and match from daily in between studying. I thought I’d organize my list for decreasing anxiety and share it with you, in case anyone else can also benefit from it. Share your de-stress routine below in the comments!
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- Exercise. A few personal favorites include…
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- First and foremost, we all need a reminder that laughter is a great medicine (and workout! 😉 )… so, check out this Fitness for Nerds tutorial.
- Yoga with Trove of the Sacred‘s Giselle Foss (This sweet yogi is a future chiropractor and acupuncturist who teaches a yoga experience that balances mindfulness with strength building, support and comfort with challenge. Her courses are fun, vibrant, restorative, and encourage you to come to the mat as yourself – every time. Everyone’s yoga practice should be comfortable and unique to their individual abilities and she believes that. She is currently offering an All-Levels Online Yoga Class for $10 or a set of 4 ZOOM recorded yoga classes, appropriate for all levels, for $30. Pop on over to her website to find out more! You can also follow her on Instagram or Facebook. (Interested in her classes? Use coupon code “JOYFUL” to get 10% off!).
- Yoga with Adriene – Adriene has a wide selection of videos for different moods, abilities, or needs and she also has several “30 Day Yoga” series which are super fun for establishing a routine.
- Blogilates – Fun, energetic pilates routines you can do at home.
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- Meditation
- Headspace App is currently offering a free “Weathering the Storm” meditation service to support mental health and well-being during the global crisis.
- Pro-tip: Are you a college student? Headspace offers a $10 student rate for a year. It is one of the best investments I’ve ever made!
- Chopra Center’s “21 Days of Meditation: Finding Hope in Uncertain Times” is currently free.
- Headspace App is currently offering a free “Weathering the Storm” meditation service to support mental health and well-being during the global crisis.
- Try something new! Revisit an old passion. I’ve restarted blogging, am eagerly looking forward to getting back into drawing, and have started planning for my business!
- Declutter and Clean House. I’ve been alleviating my mental-emotional and physical weight by getting rid of what I don’t need. An hour a day before studying, I’m sorting through old magazines, paperwork, clothes…paring down what I don’t need!
- Do something creative. Knit, cook, paint, dance, draw, craft, color, write…. whatever suits the soul. (Stress baking or cooking is both fun and delicious, so…)
- Listen to a podcast. I’ve recently fallen in love with podcasts, from comedy to self-help and everything in between. Harry Potter and the Sacred Text, Super Soul Sunday, Dear Hank and John, Delete This, and Unlocking Us are some of my favorites right now.
- Color. I’ve a handful of coloring books here that I’ve never used. Don’t have any coloring books at home? There are some online PDF resources, such as this resource of free coloring books from Libraries and Museums.
- Read a book. My local library has a digital collection so I’ve been going between some TBR lists from my home collection and the digital collection. Many libraries across the country have digital collections or ties to eBook databases. Kindle has also been having some great book deals!
- Develop a Self Care Routine or, at minimum, a Self Care Toolbox that you can sort through and choose what to pick from daily. Here are some of my favorites!
- Hydrate every morning
- Make a homemade facemask or sugar scrub
- Exercise or stretch every day
- Have a mini dance party (with yourself, whoever else is in our household, or even your dog).
- Take a bubble bath
- Gratitude list – either in my head or on paper, take note of at least 5 things I am grateful for. If I am not in a good place, I really try to take note of what I am grateful for throughout the day, but my routine is to go over them before bed each night.
- Practice Deep Breathing
- Meditate (Using headspace)
- Journal
- Write letters or emails to friends or loved ones. (If mailing letters, make sure they sanitize thoroughly after handling or they leave the letters in a special place for several days until COVID-19 should be inactive.)
- Maintain – or build – a Sense of Community while Social Distancing. Social Distancing doesn’t have to mean Emotional Distancing. (I’ve got a blog post coming your way with some ideas!)
- Watch your favorite “Feel-Goods.” (I’ve recently discovered Growing Pains on my parent’s Roku and I am thrilled.)
- Download a free trial of BroadwayHD to stream your favorite Broadway Musicals!
- Create structure. I’ve still been filling out my planner with daily goals and making sure to start the day with meditation and exercise before the free-for-all sets in.
- Limit Screen Time. Netflix Binges are the unannounced Minor for almost any college student, but for my own mental health I’m limiting the TV and Movie time to night. If I want to listen to something during the day that isn’t Spotify, I have really come to love Ambiance videos on youtube.
- Organize or Collect a Few Social Distancing Playlists. I’ve a mixture of relaxing, joyful, soothing, upbeat, or playful playlists that I bounce around between depending on my mood.
- This “Mental Health Tips from People Who’ve Been there” video from John Green provides a list of tips from Partners in Health professionals who have first-hand experience dealing with the mental health fallout of pandemics.
- Exercise. A few personal favorites include…
- Remember: Social-Distancing is not just to keep you safe, but to keep others safe, too. By respecting the guidance of the CDC and public health officials to socially distance, we are performing an act of compassion – for our healthcare professionals, for our loved ones, for the immunocompromised and elderly, and for our communities.
Before I drafted this post, I put together a poll and asked friends what they are doing to relieve stress during these times. Every person is going to find the right niche for them, so it’s great to have different perspectives. You never know what will resonate with someone! Here’s what they said:
Stay well, stay safe, my friends.
xoxo,