How can I help you during these crazy times?
Apr 29, 2020
I don’t rightly know where to begin.
In the space of just a few short weeks, we’re living a life that nobody ever dreamed we would be; schools and businesses closed, unable to leave our homes for anything but essential reasons, maintaining distance of more than two meters apart from any other human being that doesn’t live in our own household, the state of the economy looks bleak, to say the least, and the NHS is stretched to unbelievable limits in order to treat the sick and to keep the healthy healthy, all the while putting their own lives at risk.
Some days, I really don’t know which way is up. I’m sure you might be feeling the same.
Confusion is rife as we all struggle to find a new normal amidst working from home and homeschooling children, for some, caring for elderly or vulnerable family or friends. And none of us know how long this situation will continue.
You would expect that life is miserable and dire. And don’t get me wrong, I know that it is for some.
Some people are directly affected by the illness. A number too great has already lost someone dear to them. Some are in the lockdown, shut away with the very person with whom they feel at most danger. Some are suffering great financial hardship. Some with extreme loneliness and at risk of a severe decline to their mental health.
If you are affected by ANY of these situations, and the list is by no means exhaustive, please talk to someone. You are not on your own even though it may feel like you’ve never been more alone.
HOW CAN I BE HAPPY DURING THE COVID-19 CRISIS?
It sounds like a bit of a paradox to suggest that in all aspects of life, we can find a happiness or a peace.
Life gives us challenges all the time - but a particular round of applause is due for the scale of this one, wouldn’t you say?
I've mentioned in other blog posts and if we’ve ever had a conversation, you may have heard me say that there are some situations we cannot change, yet we are entirely responsible for the way in which we respond.
Here are some of my personal observations and further down, I’ll tell you the things I am doing for my own mental wellbeing.
WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER
The buzz word of late is ‘unprecedented’. Nobody could possibly have known that life would be so greatly affected. It’s a great leveller, is it not? The rich and famous all equally as affected as the poor and unknown.
The people who once were held in high esteem and celebrity - actors, entertainers, sports personalities are having to sit down for a bit and let others take the limelight because it is the underestimated work of others that keeps the cogs of this country turning - the teachers, the nurses, the refuse collection teams, the supermarket shelf stackers. We are all unique, special and have a valuable place in society; a delightful, colourful patchwork of individuality. I sincerely hope that on the other side of this crisis, this situation will be different.
During a recent Facebook Live video I posted (around the 5min mark), I was a bit emotional when I said that what we’re really realising the value of is not toilet paper, but our human connections. I was in a supermarket queue just yesterday, when I saw my friend coming out of the door. I called out to her and I could have cried.
Alright, Mister Judgey Pants, I did cry. But I had sunglasses on so nobody knew.
I wanted to hug her and kiss her lovely face! We sent a pretend hug through the 2 or 3 meters of space that were between us. I am a hugger, so this is tough on me!
Each Thursday evening at 8pm, myself and may children go out onto the street in front of our house and we Clap for Carers
we clap, we take out pots and pans to bang and I take my tambourine.
I mean, who doesn’t have a tambourine hanging about??
Seeing my neighbours up and down the street makes me feel very grateful and lucky to live where I do and to know such wonderful people. I wonder if it feels the same for you?
NOT EVERYTHING THAT COMES INTO YOUR BUBBLE HAS A RIGHT TO BE THERE
There is a plethora of scary reading material out there - open any newspaper or watch any TV channel for proof of that, but what is going on with that?
In this time of uncertainty, anxiety, and fear, we are scrambling to find information, ANY information, that might give us some comfort that this is going to be over soon. But the truth is, I don’t think anyone knows what is going to be the outcome.
Lots of folk are jumping up and down blaming the government for its poor handling of the situation, but come on, everything comes down to funding and whether one political party or another, how on earth could we have been any better prepared for this? We’re in this together and slinging mud or being mean serves nobody. Don’t do it! I believe everyone is making the best of a very bloody weird and horrible situation, trying to keep as many people alive and healthy as possible.
So why are we scrambling for info? We have been forced to address our priorities. Do we have shelter? Do we have food and sustenance? Are we safe, physically and mentally. As mentioned above, not everyone has these luxuries, but if you do, what more do you need in this moment?
Perhaps this blog might be useful if you could do with some help prioritising your time?
Consider that everything you allow into the little bubble of you affects your energy. If you follow things on social media that make you feel crap about yourself, if you read fear-mongering news articles, if you spend time with a lot of negativity - it’s all going to affect your bubble of energy.
YOU NEED TO PROTECT YOUR BUBBLE OF ENERGY AT ALL COSTS.
You can say start by saying no to the stuff you don’t want in your bubble.
Being in state of anxiety and fear is not good for your immune system. Healing and growth happen in the parasympathetic nervous system - take a look at this blog post for an idea of what I’m talking about.
With all the crazy shit that’s going on right now, it’s going to be a challenge to stay grounded. So how can you top up your energy? By doing the stuff that you love - going for a walk or a bike ride. Yoga or meditation. Journalling or sketching. Stroking your cat or tending to your vegetable garden, as I have been. There is something incredibly nurturing about being outside in the fresh air or being in nature. Trust me.
Whatever makes you feel calm - do that.
WHAT HAVE I BEEN DOING TO STAY HAPPY AND CALM?
There is a lot of talk about ‘returning to normal’. But what is normal anyway?? I, for one, have been living in a reality that is far from my normal for a long time. Constantly busy, stressed out, worried about things. I can’t say I want to go back to that, thanks very much.
First off, a disclaimer - I am not happy and calm all the time. During these times, these are the things that are topping up my Bubble of Energy;
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being on my yoga mat. I don’t really need to elaborate other than to say how nice it feels to move in that way.
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gardening - my vegetable beds have been woken up again. It’s been a very long time since I’ve taken pleasure from being in my garden
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walking - with my dog, in some nearby woods where there is also a large pond. Being around a large body of water has something quite special and calming about it for me
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talking - ordinarily, I communicate with my family by telephone or FaceTime because there’s quite a bit of distance between us. I’ve been doing more of that. I’ve also been really enjoying communicating with my amazing yoga students with regular Facebook Live videos. I find it quite calming to know that I can still speak with them in a fashion. If you use Facebook, you’d be welcome to follow me (you can also click to be notified when I start a Live broadcast, get in touch if you’re not sure how to do that.)
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meditating. I don’t mean I sit for hours. Sometimes, I sit for just a few minutes. Pre-lockdown, I didn’t make enough time for it and every time I led a meditation in my studio I would be reminded of how amazing it feels to be still
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reading for pleasure
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enjoying the glorious weather we’ve been blessed with. Its like Mother Nature told us off and sent us to our rooms to think about what we’ve done to the earth, and then felt ever so slightly bad for punishing us so sent us some sunshine so it didn’t feel quite so bad.
WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP YOU?
Of course, my yoga studio is closed for the foreseeable future, but I am still able to teach online with Remote Yoga classes either by Facebook Live or by Zoom. I mean, this is fab because you may have followed my blog and social media accounts from a long way away and haven’t been able to attend my classes before. Now’s the time, if you want to join in!
Similarly, my regular chanting classes are going ahead - a wonderful way of exercising the respiratory tract and breathing mechanisms and experiencing a different style of yoga that’s not as widely practiced.
I hold a regular Women’s Circle which has become a powerful and loving community of strong women. We discuss things that are happening in our lives using inspiration from a different goddess each time. From one of these sessions, we put together a list of grounding practices that are helping us manage this new situation. Let me know if you would like a copy.
I’m grateful that you’ve taken the time to read this post. I know there’s a lot of negative language out there concerning the pandemic. I truly hope it has offered some value for you and it may have given you some food for thought. Use the buttons below ⬇️ to get social.
Share, like, comment, forward - all that good stuff to build community and connection with someone else who might enjoy reading this perspective. Stay kind, stay happy, stay healthy 🙏🏼
