Loneliness. Isolation. Distance. The weight of it is affecting all of us, big and small. As our youth begin school, we aren’t packing their backpacks and sending them off to the bus or dropping them off on their school campus. We are setting up their computers at home and hoping it all works out. Then we go to our computers and begin our workday in the next room. Zoom calls for school. Zoom calls for work meetings. Zoom calls for socializing. Zoom calls to check in with loved ones. Zoom calls even to see a doctor. Humans aren’t created for this much isolation. We are created as social beings, thriving in tribes and feeling a sense of community. With this comes a misalignment between our environment and our genetics. This misalignment basically boils down to just feeling kinda “blah” or yucky.
I have a few things for you to try to address the blahs. These are not perfect solutions, by any means. However, it will give you some ideas on how to tackle your day.
- Always allow yourself grace. These are uncharted territories, and we are all figuring it out together.
- Do what works for you and your family. There’s no right or wrong, and definitely no need to compare your family to another family who’s doing it a different way.
- Get up from your computer often, stretch, keep a bottle of water next to you, and model these healthy habits for your children.
- Create a comfortable space for your children’s zoom calls. Provide them with a desk that they can organize how they please. Fidgets, colored pencils, a peaceful picture taped to their wall they can look at to calm down when it all becomes too overwhelming, a visual reminder to breathe/stretch/hydrate, are just a few ways to help them feel more prepared to handle this crazy time.
- If social media is becoming too much, it’s ok to turn it off and elect to find alternatives for staying connected. Reach out to at least one friend per week. Write a handwritten letter and support our postal workers. Setup social distancing meetups.
- Turn off the news. I understand this is difficult, being an election year and all. We have probably just finished binge-watching firestorm updates from the LNU Complex Fire, and are even possibly just returning home and unpacking our bags (if we are one of the fortunate ones with a home to return to). Take a break. The chaos will be there when you decide to return to it.
- Carve out 15-30 minutes per day to practice some form of mindfulness or meditation. Find a YouTube video that guides you through a guided imagery scenario or a body scan. Once the smoke clears, head back outside and enjoy your morning cup of coffee or tea and listen to the birds before the hectic day begins. Hike to a peak and relish in the view.
- Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. It sounds silly to be reminded of this, but making sure we are physically healthy will allow for more mind-body alignment and health. Gut health has huge implications in mental health.
Although we are knee deep in a global pandemic with which we have no control, we may establish a sense of control by making small changes in our environment. By practicing daily self-care, using some of the strategies listed above, and by living in the moment (to help avoid the “What’s next 2020?” or “How much longer will this last?” anxiety), we may find temporary respite. This is all we can expect- moment by moment peace of mind, heart, and body. And navigating the chaos for the rest of the day.