There is a lot going on in the world right now and it's affecting everyone. Things are heavy, emotionally draining, and can feel overwhelming. You may be asking yourself, where do I begin? How should I be focusing my time/energy? Is it okay to go out and enjoy my life or does that make it look like I don't care? Are we ever going to get out of this pandemic? There are so many emotions running through us - stress, anxiety, and depression are among the most common during this time. For me, it has led to a lack of motivation in many areas of my life. So what can we do to cope?
The number one thing I have personally learned during these last couple months, is that it is okay to take a break. If there is something in your life you can control that is causing more angst than excitement or release -- press pause. We do not need to be doing ALL of the things. It's not beneficial to you or anyone else and can cause burnout. Our bodies are not meant to go-go-go all the time so it's important that we listen and honor them by allowing them to reset. So let's talk about the simple steps to do just that.
Journal - even though writing had felt like a chore for me recently, journaling still remained a great outlet. Why? Because it's only for me -- no one else has to read it and I can let go of any form of judgement. Bonus! It allows for clarity. Here are a few journaling tips to get you started. Write down the following:
How you are feeling and be honest.
What is causing you to feel this way?
Is it something you can change?
Journaling allows us to express our emotions good or bad, in a healthy way. First,
pinpoint 1-2 things that are creating negative feelings and move to step two.
Let it go - temporarily or for good. Work stressing you out? Take advantage of that PTO (if possible) and enjoy a mental health day or couple of days. Tired of cooking? Ask someone else in your household to help out or support your local restaurants, they need it! Plus! They are so many healthy to-go or meal plan options out there these days. My favorite? Urban Remedy! Also Daily Harvest has expanded the menu from just smoothies. Dreading your workouts? Take a fews days off. Engaging in restorative activities (even napping) can sometimes be more beneficial than those HITT classes, especially if you are on your period. Is social media consuming your time? Remove the app for your phone or cancel your account altogether. Is there someone in your life who doesn't share your same values? Take some time apart. Not to be harsh but this is the easiest time to set boundaries or avoid toxic people. All in all, if something is no longer serving you -- let it go and do so without the guilt.
Now, go back to your journaling to see what items create positive feeling in your life.
Determine their occurrence and value and then move on to step three.
Spark joy! Now that you have freed up space in your life, fill it with things that spark joy! What did you find that excites you? Of those, pick 1-2 things a day (big or small) as something to look forward to. Maybe it's that book you've been wanting to read or the book club you started. It can be as small as listening to your new favorite song on repeat or as big as going on that road trip you've always want to go on but didn't have the time until now. Even though we may be scared for things to open up again, it's okay to be excited about finally getting your nails or hair done -- you are allowed to be enjoying things! Now is also a good time to surround yourself with positive people. Whether it's current family and friends or motivating podcasts, social media accounts, books, etc. there is still happiness occurring today, we just need to seek and embrace it.
I find that this process works best if you do it right when you wake up or right before going to bed. Another suggestion is to use it as a way to transition from your day to your evening.
Opmerkingen