Tag: how to counteract anxiety due to COVID

mindfulness word cloud

Is Your Mind Full or Mindful?

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Mindfulness Monday!
 

Is your mind full or mindful?  It sounds really corny but this is a question you need to ponder.  How are you doing?  How are you feeling?  Do you feel that your mind is cluttered?  Are you being pulled in too many directions?

 

Focusing on yourself is not selfish. Building in ways to combat the daily stress that you face is going to make you mentally stronger. There are many ways to calm our minds. Whether it is yoga, sitting quietly in a room and reading or journaling or listening to Tibetan bells while sitting quietly meditating, there are many tools available to help you with this. You need to experiment with finding the method that is most soothing to you.

 

Some of my girlfriends cannot listen to the raindrops because they feel that it makes them want to pee but for others, it’s ok. See what is right for you.

 

Is meditating a foreign concept to you? It certainly wasn’t something I grew up doing but I have found that this is a useful strategy when I just need to go to another room to get away from others or the noise around me.

 

I have listened to all kinds of videos to see what I like. I have determined that I don’t want someone talking to me telling me what to do or how to breathe. What I do love is when I am sitting on my back porch during a rainstorm. This is what led me to explore the raindrop videos and the raindrops with Tibetan bells are now my favorite.

 
I challenge you this week to go out of your comfort zone and to find ONE new method to soothe your mind. You get to chose if  your mind is full or mindful?. It can be walking, meditating, reading a book, listening to music, knitting or taking a nap. There is no wrong way to do this. You just need to look for something that works for you.
 

You choose.

2020 is the Year of the Staycation

It is Funday Monday! The week of July 4th is usually a relaxing time for most families as it is usually a short work week with fireworks, cookouts and maybe a long weekend.

COVID is disrupting normal summer travel plans with many vacation trips being cancelled.  We need look at alternative ways to enjoy the great outdoors this year. Better yet, with some preplanning, you may be able to do it in an inexpensive manner as well.

As with everything that has hit us these last 3-4 months, this week may be a bit subdued. Just because you cannot take your normal vacation does not mean you cannot dream about what you would like to do. Better yet, with some preplanning, you may be able to do it in an inexpensive manner as well.

Do we all agree?  2020 is the Year of the Staycation!

Begin researching what there is to do in your hometown, county, state and region. Even better, look for no-cost or low-cost forms of entertainment.

Since we need to factor in social distancing, I recommend looking at outdoor activities. Alltrails is a great website or app that lets you search by zip code, town, state, etc. I entered my zip code and it gave me a list of 68 places to go take a hike! 68!!!

Not every location will have that many options but it is a start. You can also search for your state or national parks in your areas.

Let’s start brainstorming how you can fit one into your plans. This is a great way to practice some self-care. Focusing on your mental health is so important right now and engaging with nature will help counteract depression and anxiety.

After you pencil in your destination, let’s plan your budget. Food? Housing? Transportation costs? Entry fees? If you can keep it to day trips or one night stays, even better!

Remember that you are not going to go into debt for these mini-trips. Plan your budget and when you have the money in hand to take your trip and can cover all costs, then away you go!

Visit our Resources page https://whoistakingcareofyou.com/resources/ for the Plan Your Trip Activity worksheet to help you begin the planning process.  

Happy Trails!

Woman daydreaming as she looks at a beautiful sunset.

Coping With Stress and Anxiety During a Pandemic

Is anyone else following the increased number of cases of COVID19 in many states? 

How is your mindset dealing with it? As I speak to family and friends across the country, there are so many different coping styles.  Some are out and about and taking the mindset that the sooner they get it, the quicker they can be ‘normal’ again.  Others are completely holed up at home and never leave.  Many of you are essential workers and don’t have a choice but to go out every day.  

For DeStress Monday, I want for you to grab a small piece of your favorite chocolate bar and take a few minutes to read through Dr. Rachel Zoffness’ article posted below. I am sharing this article for the content but I also want you  to focus on the websites and apps listed under #3.   Coping with stress and anxiety during a pandemic is very stressful so it is  very important to develop tools that you can use when needed.  There are many options listed here so explore them and find what works best for you.

Tools for Coping With Stress and Anxiety During a Pandemic

There are some great relaxation and meditation exercises that you can do when coping with stress and anxiety.  Studies have shown if you do this two to three times a day or as needed, that this can be as effective as medication. They come in all different lengths so whether you take a break every hour and do this for five minutes or a longer session twice a day, find a practice that works for you. Physical disabilities are not an issue. You can choose from the Raisin Meditation sessions or from one of Dr. Brach’s sessions. They can all be accessed from a smart phone.

After you explore several sessions, pick one series and use it for the week. Schedule it into your daily planner and make yourself commit to it.

CLOSE YOUR EYES AND TAKE A DEEP BREATH…

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/pain-explained/202003/anxiety-contagion-tips-relief?fbclid=IwAR0sPHzix_6McbcLKTQ-OVWmc1cWhwiV8wqmbqtxOQCCFNFiTbICLlfKIrA#_=_