Do you feel overwhelmed with the ever-evolving 24/7 coronavirus news that is pervasive on every social media outlet?
Are you struggling to find the balance between doing your part to be a well-informed good global citizen and being buried under a tidal wave of often conflicting directives and information?
If you nodded your head. Let me just tell you, you are not alone. So many of the women in my course right now & in groups of mine are just saying they feel overwhelmed on how to stay appropriately engaged without getting totally sucked in and bummed out. I feel you, mama, and I’ve got some ideas for you.
In this episode and video (at the end of this post), I’m talking about how essential self-care is (especially during these pandemic times) to your ability to stay grounded and informed, replenished and engaged, compassionate and active.
So, no matter how you’re feeling right now, I want you to know that there ARE things we can do to help keep our mental, physical, and emotional health intact as we weather the storm of the Covid-19 pandemic, together.
Here’s a quick list of my best tips and some resources I’ve been using to stay grounded, energized and engaged. Use them to take care of your mind, body and spirit during these especially trying times.
A little self-care can go a long way, I promise you.
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:
LIMIT NEGATIVE NEWS/fear-mongering bullshit
You CAN be a good citizen and not watch the news all the time. If you’re watching the news 24-7, please stop. Choose trusted/unbiased news outlets. Try reading the news instead so you can choose when you’ve had enough and stop more easily.
BODY WISDOM
Are you paying attention to the signals your body is giving you? It’s so important to listen to the wisdom of your body. Start with being mindful of taking a break when you need one. Don’t ignore the signals from your body to rest. Sleep is such an important part of being healthy, and of being well–mind, body, and spirit.
MEDITATE
Even 5 minutes every morning will actually matter and will affect your internal experience. Mindfulness can make all the difference between a conscious choice and a rash reactive one.
MOVE
Stretch, walk, do whatever works for you, but move your butt. Your mind and body will thank you. (I’ve got some resources at the end of the blog for ya to move at home)
BE DISCERNING
Ditch the negativity crowd. Here’s a link to the episode I did on the negative impact on your brain function from being around drama queens and chronic complainers. Try to limit your time with the “misery loves company crowd.” It’s ok to say, no thanks, to being a receptacle for someone else’s compulsive negativity.
PROTECT YOUR ENERGY
We all have an energy field (aura) around us that can help protect us from negativity. For more information, check out energy medicine expert, Lara Riggio’s zip-up technique to protect yourself right here.
BE KIND
Nothing lifts your spirits faster than being kind to another person. When you add value to someone else’s life, your brain actually releases endorphins which can be hard to come by when you are feeling afraid. Be kind and be a part of the solution.
BE SURE TO TAKE ALL PROPER PRECAUTIONS WHICH TAKES CARE OF YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE
STAY PRESENT + Have Compassion
Dial into your feelings often and take inventory of where and how you might be numbing yourself to avoid feeling hard feelings. We may seek solace or find comfort in food, alcohol and even Netflix. Moderation is the key, mama.
Become a silver lining detective – look for the wisdom and the gems (even in sucky situations) that teach you more about yourself. It’s a gift of self-awareness and self-love. Look for the lessons in all of the situations in your life, and you will find wisdom. This is not the same as using hyper-positivity to bypass difficult times. Becoming curious about your responses and reactions in stressful times is the path to more self-evolution.
THINGS TO DO
Meditation:
I am so passionate about making meditation accessible to others because it transformed my life and it has also become one of the cornerstones of my psychotherapy and coaching practice. It remains an integral part of my winning formula for helping thousands of clients and students overcome a host of issues including anxiety.
Meditation actually builds your mindfulness muscle. And, unlike food choices, there is no right or wrong way to meditate. You just have to do it!
You can get the following three meditations for free here
- 2 Minute Grounding
- Calm in the Storm
- One Love Meditation
Breathing Exercises
The Four By Four Breathing Method
This is a very simple breathing technique that takes mere minutes and makes a big difference. Here’s how to do it:
- Breathe in for 4 counts
- Hold for 4 counts
- Breathe out for 4 counts
- Hold for 4 counts
- Repeat this pattern until you’ve completed 4 rounds.
I invite you to set a reminder on your phone and do this quick practice at the end of your day. See how it impacts your internal experience.
The Breathing App (available in iOS and Android)
The Breathing App was created by Eddie Stein and Deepak Chopra. It’s designed for one thing to just help guide your breathing for a few minutes each day. Did I mention it’s free! You can read about all the benefits here.
Resources from Lara Riggio – Central Park Energy Center
Energy expert, owner of the Central Park Energy Center Energy and my bestie, Lara Riggio has created some resources. If you’re not familiar with her work you should/WILL be – it has changed my life.
Lara’s Tapping for Coronavirus
This video is designed to help calm the common fears you may be feeling right now and to help empower you to take care of yourself.
When you feel fear, your body reacts and blood rushes from your brain to your limbs to power fight, flight, or a freeze state. This pulls energy away from your body‘s ability to rest, repair, and digest. It inhibits your ability to think clearly, digest food and new information, detoxify, sleep, as well as support immune function.
I can’t stress enough how important it is for your physical health and sanity to calm yourself down so you can function better during this stressful time versus being a slave to your reactivity. Go to larariggio.com/calm to access.
How to Protect Yourself from Other People’s Fears During Coronavirus Times – Great for Empaths!
This exercise can help calm your physical stress response and protect you, so you can focus more on what you want versus reacting to other people’s fears. Please rate your tension before and after you do these to see how this video works for you.
Lara’s zip up energy
You can’t always control your environment, but you can make sure your protective energetic field is intact, so you have a really good filter for any energy that comes your way.
MOVE
Other amazing free offerings that might help you as they are helping me right now:
Dr. Deb Kern – Shakti Sisterhood
During these challenging times, Deb is bringing things to help soothe our nervous systems, like dances, poems, and prayers.
For the next few weeks, she is offering a free month in her online membership so that you can join virtually to dance, strengthen, connect and stay grounded. You must log in to the membership for details on how to join the classes.
Click here to join and use the discount code AGELESS1 to get one full month free. It will ask for your credit card, but it will not charge you until the second month begins. You can cancel at any time.
Patricia Moreno
Patricia is sharing tools and practices to help you feel grounded, safe, and calm, as well as help to raise consciousness in this time of rampant fear.
She is offering daily FREE, LIVE INTENSATI WORKOUTS so you can build inner strength, radiant health and embodied positivity, and choose love over fear.
They take place daily at noon click HERE to check it out.
Elizabeth DiAlto
Embodiment expert, creator of Wild Soul Movement and my gal-pal Elizabeth Dialto posted a short powerful vid, “Practical and soothing embodiment practices for being cooped up at home” THANK YOU, mama!! (You can also find other free goodies in her IG profile!)
Heather Robertson’s YouTube Workouts
Heather is your virtual workout partner! She is a certified personal trainer with over 13 years of industry experience. Known on YouTube for her “no fluff, just tough” at-home workouts.
Heather believes your access to optimal health + fitness shouldn’t be limited based on the amount of money or time you have. She has free workout programs that you can do at home (that’s right no equipment needed) that fit into your busy schedule.
Check her out on YouTube, or Sign up here for a free 12-week program.
COMMUNITY
Christina Rassmussen’s FB group (reduce isolation)
My soul sis, Christina Rasmussen, the founder of the Life Re-Entry Institute and host of Dear Life podcast created “an online support group geared towards helping people across the globe feel less alone during Covid-19. Its purpose is to provide an online connection and a sense of a virtual Life Reentry.”
Better Help
If you need extra support right now, I invite you to try Better Help, an online therapy service. They let us test drive it for three months, and my entire team has been having an incredible experience, so I’m happy to announce that they are my new partner in spreading mental health around the globe. You can get help from a licensed therapist from the comfort of your couch and it’s much less expensive than seeing someone in person (which you can’t do- since most of us are mandated to stay in our homes). Click here to check it out or sign up: terricole.com/betterhelp (sponsored link)
I hope these resources add value and lift ya spirits. Stay safe!! And as always take care of you.
Terri
Terri Cole is a licensed psychotherapist, transformation coach, and an expert at turning fear into freedom. Sign up for Terri’s weekly Newsletter, check out her blog and follow her on Twitter.
