by Ali T. Self, LMSW
So, how are you doing out there? We are living in an unprecedented time. It is very weird and wild. Tornadoes and then SARS-CoV2. Whether you are on the front lines of the hospital, grocery stores or isolated at home, it is NOT easy. As the physical isolation continues, it is vital to remember that you do not have to be socially or emotionally isolated. In the book, Untamed, Glennon Doyle, describes life as: “… uncomfortable – in deep pain, angry, yearning, confused…” We all know that being human is hard, particularly in a pandemic! Below are some links to resources we use here at NSTMS with patients that might be a helpful resource during this time of more intense discomfort. Whether it is reaching out to a therapist for the first time or telling a friend or co-worker how you are really feeling today instead of a cordial quick response, let’s use this time to get brave in our humanity and say: “being human is hard.” You might be surprised by how much tension is released from being vulnerable and just speaking those words aloud to someone safe.
Another way we can care for ourselves during this time is to be aware of how much information we are letting into our minds each day, and how we are choosing to filter it. When so many things feel completely out of control, we can still choose to see light in each day. Do we take in the daily updates and only hold the anxiety, fear, unknown amount of days ahead where we will be locked in? Do we only pick up our anger at the politicians in charge? Or do we choose to see the heroes in the news like the lady reading children story books through her Instagram account each evening, the individual dropping off groceries to the older neighbor who is afraid, or the pastor offering drive-thru communion in the church parking lot.
Our views can change and our spirits can lift when we see the pandemic through the eyes of humanity. This humanity that is bringing us together with hope rather than stirring anxiety and distorting our vision of the world.
In these long days ahead, we have to remember that we will come out on the other side of this. On the other side, we will realize that physically, we need a lot less, than we thought we did. We will know in a new way that we are one another’s champions willing to sacrifice jobs, education, and much more for months on end for one another’s health and life. As one vast community, we locked arms and survived something we have never been through before and we will smile together in that – a universal victory.
In the meantime, please know that we can join with you in today’s dark isolation. We are here to help you until the light of that new day comes.
https://positivepsychology.com/mindfulness-for-children-kids-activities/
https://www.pocketmindfulness.com/6-mindfulness-exercises-you-can-try-today/