So, let’s just state the obvious for a second - life has definitely changed a lot since 2019 for people living all around the world. Collectively we are going through an incredibly difficult time, one that is forcing us to pivot in new and interesting ways. There is fear, stress, uncertainty for sure, but there are also new found connections, resiliency, and resourcefulness. All of these changes and emotions can leave us feeling drained and in need of some serious self care! Maybe you’re working, maybe you’re an essential worker, maybe you’re struggling with isolation and really need to nurture yourself - whatever is going on for you currently, we have some awesome tips to help you lean into the self care that you need!
We know that everywhere we look, there are different opinions about how we should be dealing with isolation. There’s a group of fairly vocal people saying that now is the time to make all your dreams come true. It’s the time to tackle projects you’ve never had time for, build that business you’ve always dreamt of, learn that skill you’ve been talking about, and the list goes on. Don’t get me wrong - I’m all for turning lemons into lemonade, but these are unlike any times we’ve faced before and there isn’t a one size fits all solution for how to cope. It’s super important that we lean into whatever feels right for us despite outside pressures (super simple right?).
Above everything else we need to be compassionate with ourselves and others. We need to acknowledge the challenges we’re currently dealing with, the emotions we are experiencing and recognize the normality of this! You may feel super inspired, you may feel super tired, you may feel grief. You might not be in a place where you can tackle your life long dreams right now, and any of these feeling are totally reasonable.
Even self care can be a struggle when times are difficult - these are some suggestions, pick the things that resonate for you. Even making the time to pick one thing off this list might help you feel a little more centred, even in the midst of difficult times.
Self Care Tips!
Make time for yourself. We get it, we’re all stuck at home, so you’d think that we’d have tons of time to do what we want. But the thing is that the more people we talk to, the more we realize that we’re moving through our days in a bit of a fog - not really putting aside any REAL time for ourselves. Friend, slot some time in there for you! Do whatever lights you up - dance around your house, take the worlds longest bath, even if you just have five minutes where you don’t have to teach your kid math, make the most of it! It’s so easy to spend the entire day taking care of and doing things for others, but it’s really important we remember to do things for ourselves as well!
Stay connected! There are so many awesome stories of the ways people have found to stay connected. Heck, I even took up writing an old fashioned pen pal! So often when we are feeling lonely, it’s super hard to reach out. Well, you’re in luck my friend, most of the world is feeling the same way right now! This is the perfect time to get honest with people about your need for connection. Thanks to technology there are a bunch of ways we can remain connected with the people we care about in our lives! Online games nights, zoom dance parties, chatting with your parents over zoom while they keep asking how to turn the camera on even though it’s on, has been on this whole time, and will probably be on long after the meeting is over. Reach out when you’re feeling disconnected, so many others are feeling exactly the same way.
Start journaling. It’s a great way to sort through everything swirling around in your mind. When we’re in the midst of difficult situations it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with all of the various thoughts, concerns, and emotions you’re experiencing. Typically we shy away from sorting through all of this because we don’t want to focus on the uncomfortable things we’re experiencing. There is something incredibly cathartic about journaling though. Witnessing the thoughts, feelings, and emotions flowing out of your mind and your heart onto the page through the tip of that pen. It’s amazing how much clearer, and lighter you will feel after journaling. Give it a try!
Not typically into keeping a journal? Not sure where you could even start, or what you’d write about? We’ve put together a journal page for you that you can download, print off, and write in!
Meditation! I bet you could see that one coming! When we find ourselves in stressful, constantly changing situations that are overflowing with emotion, the best thing we can do for ourselves is to become still and meditate. It’s a great way to process your emotions and make sense of everything happening within ourselves.
Meditation is also a great tool for getting you out of your head and reconnected to the present moment, your body, and your physical surroundings. There’s nothing more grounding than anchoring yourself within the present moment with only your breath for company.
Meditation helps to calm our minds and slow those racing thoughts. It is when we are in this calm state that we can come up with creative solutions to problems and realize new perspectives.
In need of some meditation resources to get you going? Fear not - we’ve got plenty for you! We have meditations up on YouTube you can watch, we’re teachers on InsightTimer, and best of all? We’ve got an online 10+ day Learn to Meditate Course! Each morning of this course you’ll wake up to a new email from us filled with lots of goodies including a new lesson and guided meditation! It’s the perfect way to stay accountable, get into a routine, and explore meditation. Plus we’ve got a great Facebook community for you to join. You’ll be able to connect with others that have gone through or are currently going through the course, get support, and ask all your meditation questions here!
Exercise Ok ok, this is a bit of a weird one - we know that exercise is awesome for boosting our mood, improving sleep and focus as well as giving us an energy boost, BUT with all the social distancing it’s hard to know exactly how to get that exercise in. We are all for getting outside so take those socially distanced walks when you can!
I don’t want to alarm anyone but I’ve been taking dance lessons through YouTube and I’m going to have some pretty amazing moves when quarantine is over. But seriously though, there are so many awesome yoga, pilates, dance, martial arts classes, and so much more online right now. I’ll happily challenge anyone to a dance battle when this is all over so you better get started!
Whatever you choose to do, the important thing is that you put aside a little time to move your body in a way that makes you feel good.
Eat healthy food. Some days maybe you’re going to want to eat cinnamon buns for every meal. Other days you may be inspired to make something vaguely resembling a salad. This resonates pretty hard personally - where do you think that cinnamon bun reference came from? Support your immune system as much as you can with healthy food, try some new recipes, and have some fun with your meals. This is the perfect time to try making a few of your favourite things from scratch! Be gentle with yourself. It’s more important that we keep ourselves feeling healthy while also really loving ourselves however our pants are currently fitting. Body positivity for the win!
Listen to music! Music can be so incredibly powerful - it has the ability to change your mood and the energy in an entire room. Make an effort to listen to music you love, music that energizes you and brings a smile to your face. You’ll be amazed just how much of a difference it can make. Bonus points for spur of the moment dance parties! There seems to be a bit of a dance party theme doesn’t there…?
Looking for something that can help soothe your busy mind? You should check out binaural beets! They’re amazing tracks that actually have the ability to change your brain waves!! You’ll be amazed at what a big impact these tracks can have, and just how relaxed you feel while listening to them. You can have them as soothing background music, you can meditate to them, or you can play them while you go to sleep at night for a great restorative sleep!
Try something new. Okay I know, I know, I started off this blog post talking about the pressure of making all your wildest dreams come true in the middle of a pandemic. But remember I also said I was all for making lemonade when life gives you lemons? If you have some time on your hands, and you’re looking for things to do, now might be a good time to start playing around with that idea you’ve had, that project you’d love to tackle, or learn that new skill. There’s nothing like diving into a new project to get yourself energized, motivated, and excited to get out of bed every morning.
If you decide to try something new, or jump into a project, that’s great! But don’t do it because you feel as though it’s expected of you, don’t do it because you feel pressured to make the most of this time when a lot of life has been put on hold. Do it because you truly want to. Because you’re passionate and inspired. Do it because it makes you happy! And don’t allow the pressure to creep in. Be kind with yourself throughout the process - realize that some days you’re not going to be in the right frame of mind, and that’s totally okay!
Stay Compassionate!!
As we continue to navigate these uncharted waters, remember to be compassionate with yourself! Know that what you are going through is normal, and okay! Some days we might wake up in a complete funk and not accomplish a whole lot, and other days we might wake up feeling great and raring to go. Be kind to yourself, do what you need to nourish your mind, body, and soul while staying safe!
Find yourself forgetting to make time for self care practices throughout your day? We’ve been there, done that! It’s crazy how an entire day can seemingly fly by, and you haven’t had time to do even one thing for self care that day! We’ve found one of the best ways to ensure we make the time for self care throughout the day is to sit down and get intentional about it!
We’ve put together a little self care planner for you that you can download and print off. Taking the time to plan your self care, and have that visual reminder go a long way towards helping you follow through on the things you need to feel your best.
Wishing everyone good health and happiness.