I’m writing this during the CoronaVirus quarantine time/Spring 2020 … while many of us have been spending most of our time at home and with our immediate families. While that sounds nice and all (except for the fact that we’re all concerned about contracting COVID-19), as with any life change or transition, stresses emerge!
Being confined can be stressful in itself. I know many people who are struggling with that right now – folks who are used to being able to go and see and do … travel, meet friends for drinks, dine out, play tennis, etc. Just knowing that you can’t do those things can wreak havoc in your psyche!
That havoc may lead to depression, sadness, anger, hopelessness and various other not-so- good feelings and emotions. So, I wanted to talk about those feelings and see if we couldn’t work on feeling better together!
I am convinced that confinement is more than physical confinement; I’d go so far as to say that it’s even more of a ‘mental’ situation, a state-of-mind. We’ve all heard stories of POWs and Nazi death camp survivors and how people in those extremely physically confining circumstances were able to overcome and prevail. I also know from my own experience that one can feel trapped mentally or emotionally, all the while being physically free to move about and go wherever and do whatever one wants! Stay with me on this … because what I’m suggesting is we can use our incredible mind powers in this moment in time to overcome those negative thoughts and feelings that this physical confinement has wrought upon us. In other words,
change your mind, change your life.
Decide to think of this quarantine, this confinement, in a different way. Talk to yourself about how this can be a positive, productive time to approach life and things differently. Above all, tell yourself, repeatedly, that you’re ok, that this time will evolve into a new time and that there will be more freedom to move around soon, that who you are and how you feel isn’t entirely dependent on the things you can go and do; there’s more and it’s good!
Please know I’m not trying to take anything away from the pain and suffering so many of us are experiencing right now. I’m not trying to downplay depression or anger or sadness. I’m really suggesting that we honor all those hard feelings, acknowledge them, let them know they’re valid, because they are. What I am hoping and thinking and saying is we can use our minds to our advantage – it’s how we humans have gotten this far! We are wired to deal with this stressful, confining times and to come through them better and stronger.
Below are thoughts/ideas that have come to me over the past weeks as I talk to my friends and family about how we’re all feeling and what we’re struggling with day-to-day right now.
- Be kind to yourself FIRST to get the ‘power’ to be kind to others.
- Nurture yourself in ways that work for YOU! Ideas – walk the dog, do yoga, talk to a friend, read a book, dance, sing, cook, play cards … whatever YOU really enjoy, even if only for a few minutes a day.
- Take advantage of this or any confining time to RESET, to remember what matters to you.
- Think about THRIVING along with SURVIVING. What does thriving mean/look like to you? Write it down.
- Watch the movie Life is Beautiful.
XO
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