Is the isolation of the pandemic leaving you feeling stressed out or depressed? You’re not alone! During a pandemic it can be easy to fall away from normal life and start to feel a bit more isolated or depressed. The doubt can creep in and it can truly feel like things will never feel normal again. It’s totally normal and understandable to feel any of these uncertain or negative feelings. But there are some positive habits that you can practice during (and after) the pandemic that will help to keep you feeling better, believe in yourself and possibly even allow you to improve yourself.
We all know that washing our hands has been at the forefront of advice during the pandemic. If you’re finding that you’re washing your hands more, then great! This is a great habit to hold onto even after the pandemic has subsided. But let’s talk a bit about personal hygiene in general.
During the quarantine you may have found yourself stuck at home for weeks on end and for a lot of people, it’s really started to wear on their mental health. With that it can be hard to get out of bed some days, let along hop in the shower and keep up with personal hygiene.
While it feels easier to neglect yourself when you’re feeling the pressures of social isolation, and many of the other aspects of the pandemic, it’s important to remember to care for yourself even when you’re under stress. It can be hard, but making a promise to yourself to even just get the basics done like showering, brushing your teeth and doing what you need to in order to feel good about yourself can really improve your mood and how you feel all day.
While this can seem similar to the above point, self-care doesn’t necessarily mean hygiene related care. There are so many different ways to practice self-care from physical, emotional, spiritual, etc. These are basically actions that you take to prioritize your needs and your wellbeing. When self-care is mentioned, many people picture a spa day or a pedicure, and while that can totally be your kind of self-care if that doesn’t resonate with you that’s just fine.
For some people self-care can be meditation because that really makes them feel mindful and grounded. If you find yourself constantly stressed out about money, then your self-care could be something like creating a budget to follow so that you can reduce that stress in your life. Things like naps, painting, running and checking in with family or friends can also be different types of self-care.
If you’re feeling stumped on how you can show yourself a little love right now you can simply ask yourself “what do you need right now?” During the pandemic, and even after, it’s important to remember to give yourself a little love.
There seem to be two types of people when it comes to meditation. Those who do it and believe in it, and those who don’t really understand it or why it would be a helpful practice. There’s a common misconception that meditation is completely clearing your mind of all thoughts. The people who think that isn’t possible may not even try because of that myth.
While there are different ways to meditate, it’s really just about being mindful and still in the present moment. If you catch your mind wandering off, there’s no need to get frustrated or give up because you weren’t able to keep your mind clear, you simply bring it back to the present and continue on.
During the pandemic (and after), we might find ourselves feeling a little extra anxious, overwhelmed or stressed. Developing a meditation practice can help you be a bit more mindful and truly help to reduce your stress and anxiety.
During something unfamiliar like quarantine or a pandemic, it can be easy for fear to take over. While it can be hard, it’s the perfect time to practice being brave. Take the time to acknowledge your fears. These fears don’t necessarily have to be fears around the pandemic or the quarantine but can just be the fears you have in life, business or your personal relationships. Really look within yourself at those fears and dig deep to figure out what they are and why you have them. Once you know your fears inside and out you can work on being brave and overcoming those fears.
Some tips to help you be brave:
● Get to know your fears
● Practice affirmations
● Be ok with failing
● Take baby steps
Don’t let the pandemic lead you into a life of feeling overwhelmed and stressed out, you are in control! During the pandemic many of us are finding ourselves in difficult situations that we’ve never encountered before. Whether the situations are in direct relation to the pandemic, or simply a side effect, it’s truly a challenging time for everyone. However, you can take some steps to create positive habits that will help you during and after pandemic.
“Don’t allow your past or present condition to control you. It’s just a process that you’re going through to get you to the next level.” T.D Jakes