7 Practices to Help Yourself in Challenging Times
During this pandemic, many are growing weary of being stuck at home. They’re having to adjust to a new way to life; their plans have been disrupted; there’s a lot of negativity all around; the people around us are stretched thin… It’s a hard place to be.
There’s a lot in our environment over which we have little control.
But you can control how you feel.
Really, Brenda? Even in times like this?
Yes! No head burying in the sand needed. This episode is not about denying reality or pretending life is something it’s not. It’s about taking control of your state, moment by moment.
I have a lot of tools for breaking out of negative patterns to feel better. I’ve narrowed this episode down to 7 things you can do now to not only save your sanity in this current crisis; you’ll simultaneously be setting yourself up for a more fulfilling life on the other side of all this.
- Acknowledge negative thoughts and feelings but don’t let them run their course. Interrupt them! We’ve talked about pattern interrupts before. Get out of old, negative neural ruts by throwing a monkey wrench into mental patterns that no longer serve you. Acknowledge what you’re feeling, and then identify what you want to feel instead. Imagine the positive consequences of feeling better.
- Practice gratitude. No matter how bleak things get, there are still things to be thankful for. Focus on those positive things. Many are holed up with family members and are feeling stir crazy. Make a list of the positive qualities of the people you’re “stuck” with -- your significant other, your kids, your in-laws -- and watch how your attitude towards them will change for the better. Remember that you can choose to focus on the positive.
- Practice compassion. We’re all worn a bit thin. Don’t expect anyone around you to be at their best during this time, including yourself. Be patient. Have compassion on yourself and on those around you.
- Avoid toxic people and conversations. Remember that your unconscious mind takes everything personally, so keep it positive and refuse to get sucked in by the negative rhetoric.
- Focus on self-care. Meditate, read an uplifting or funny book, take a nap on the couch, take a bubble bath, cut off work early on Friday, bake, call a friend, garden… Do things that are uplifting to you. Make self-care a nonnegotiable during this time.
- Remember that we’re in the midst of a crazy situation, but you are not the situation. You are so much more than that.
- Stubbornly focus on the essence of what you want. Don’t give up your dreams. Let them fuel you during this time.
The fog will lift, friends. The sun will come out again. And when it does, if you’ve cultivated these practices during this dark time, you will shine on the other side of COVID-19.
Thanks for listening!
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- Episode 3 -- I first introduced the Alphabet Game
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