Lockdown not meltdown. Part 1
If you were managing to keep yourself calm and grounded while the rest of the world entered panic mode, by now you may be finding it all a little overwhelming. By ‘it’ I mean the anxiety, nervous energy, fear, and panic. To me it feels like a cloud of smoke or fog that’s seeping through the walls into my thoughts no matter how hard I try to keep myself away from the hysteria.
There came a point last week when I started to pay a little more attention realising my self-protection was leaning more towards ignorance and I needed to face the uncertain reality that things are changing.
I am completely in favor of a small dose of ‘ignorance is bliss’ mentality however and am limiting my exposure to the News and social media around the outbreak, staying aware but also remaining on the right side of sanity.
Self-care is so important right now as daily life starts to look quite different without any warning, guidance or clue as to what we’re doing. People everywhere are sent to work from home, or forced to stop work completely as they adapt their entire approach to business. Either way there’s a need for even more emphasis on the work/life balance.
Having the whole family together is something to be grateful for and being on ‘lockdown’ may feel exciting, like an opportunity to lead a more mindful, present existence however that bubble is likely to burst at some point, if not for you then for someone else in the realm.
Keeping our heads-up and stimulated by positive influences and our bodies healthy is key. Finding ways to share grounding practices with partners and children makes for a happier more balanced home.
Firstly things first, find a routine.
Every morning I start by checking-in with my mind and my thoughts. Taking three steadying, fulfilling breaths and writing in my journal. I don’t know when I started to do this daily but I know I will not be letting this practice go anytime soon. Routine keeps us focused on the most important things in our lives and it starts with yourself. Our thoughts and our habits may need a little tweak to adjust to the change in circumstances and I highly recommend a daily “hi, how you doing” to yourself. This will be your foundation from which you start each day and be there for your loved ones, to get you through the next few days, weeks together as a unit.
I think this piece of writing came to mind last night after a relatively calm day spent mostly on my own, staying away from social media and the news. I’d chatted with a few friends, exchanging voice-notes about the sheer strangeness of everything and had started to really feel the heaviness of our situation, the fears, and anxieties we are all faced with in this extremely uncertain time. “It’s like a movie” one friend said. In a way, I see what she means but this storyline doesn’t seem to be going anywhere and it’s certainly not one I’d bother to see in the cinema!
In a matter of days my income halved for this month with nothing coming in to replace it for the foreseeable future. I am not panicking though. I share WhatsApp groups with fellow self-employed folk so I know I’m not alone. In fact support is what I have felt more than panic if I am honest and it’s beautiful yet by 7pm last night I was on the loo having a well-needed cry. The unknown is exactly that. We fear what we don’t understand and having our lives disrupted but this is also positive when we don’t know what could happen, embrace the thought that good things can and will happen. Focus on those connections and to the things which help you to feel good.
Yesterday I was in the most upbeat ‘whoop’-filled spin class I’ve ever been to. Even though capacity was limited due to social distancing the positive vibes throbbing through that studio were next level incredible! The whole experience made me grin from ear to ear. Positivity and community is all I dream of in society and I honestly believe we will emerge from this situation as better people, with stronger connections to ourselves and each other.
As we approach the reality of being at home more and with our loved ones closer, I am urging us to be extra mindful of how we are feeling. In our body, physically and mentally.
What are your thoughts up to? How is your partner feeling? Your child? I say this because although you may be shielding yourself from the News stories our loved ones may not so be mindful of how their exposure may be affecting them. Be present for those in your community even though you feel detached right now.
Our partners, parents, elderly neighbours, friends, family and colleagues, how are they doing? To be suddenly cut-off from society could be crippling for someone already struggling with loneliness and depression. An ever-confident friend who thrives on social interaction may feel blindsided. With friends staying home, yoga studios, gyms and pubs closing we are losing our human connection and access to activities that support our wellbeing.
Check-in with each other. We always mean to but we often forget, we get distracted and life gets busy. Let’s embrace this time of having more time. Consider how much time have you gained by not commuting to and from the office for example?
An enforced slower pace will be tough for some I know but bring it on I say. Oh and to the folk working from home, yes the job still needs to get done but remember it’s on your terms now, you rule your roost!
Stay healthy, happy and connected.
Big Love to you all.
xoxo