We can all agree on something – we are traveling that amazing journey of life during a very unique and rather challenging time. We have identified several self-care and coping strategies that can help you on this journey.
Some of these strategies include maintaining a regular schedule, distracting yourself from negative emotions with healthy activities like hobbies, interests or exercise, and using mindfulness to focus on immediate surroundings and needs without thinking beyond the present.
Plus, there are four proven ways to help cope with anxiety and stress caused by the pandemic.
These include:
- Keep the risk in perspective
- Take normal, healthy precautions
- Avoid over-consumption of media
- Use your past coping skills
Some other tips include:
- Practice (or learn): yoga, mindfulness based meditation, abdominal breathing, tai chi, EMDR (a therapeutic modality that utilizes bilateral movements), somatic experiencing (therapeutic modality), and bilateral movements outside in nature (like hiking or walking)
- Engage in creative outlets (or learn new ones): draw, paint, sculpt, dance, listen to music, sing, play an instrument, write poetry, and act.
- Engage in cognitive-behavioral techniques (or learn new ones): journal, do cognitive behavioral therapy with a trained therapist, read books about cognitive restructuring, draw a timeline and label the road-map with the story of our journey, talk with trusted others for validation and support.
- Engage in “supreme self-care”, which includes: good sleep, nutrition, exercise, keeping in touch with friends & loved ones, psychotherapy, spirituality, and more.
