“May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.”
Covid-19 Hibernation Check List
Panic and fear have taken a firm foothold in the entire world. It’s normal. We are all feeling various levels of worry. However, it’s also important to realize that panic, fear and worry don’t serve us in the end. Responding from a place of fear and anxiety narrows your focus and we are less able to problem solve and think effectively. Fear and anxiety set off the stress response and that in turn, dampens our immune system. This is when we need to turn to the power of hope. When we feel hopeful, we stand united, work together, and are more creative in finding solutions. Hope has helped us through much in the last few decades and it can work again.
Hope starts with looking at the positives. As the WHO (World Health Organization) stated on March 5, 80% of those infected survive without any special care. Although we can’t change the fact that we are all facing this challenge, we can focus on what we have control over and that is choosing our response from a place of calm and hope. Of course, we should take general safety measures like washing our hands, avoiding unnecessary travel and social gatherings, not touching our faces, coughing and sneezing into our elbows, getting plenty of rest, eating healthy and staying well hydrated. But we also need to remember that just as the sky underneath is still blue on a cloudy day, there are some positives underneath all this chaos. So how do we turn to the positives? Here are some strategies to get you started!
The Gift of Time:
If we’ve had to take time off, think of it as a gift of time! Haven’t we all complained of not having enough vacation time? So treat this time off as a special time to get through that book waiting to be read or even take an online course to expand our skillset. Check out iTunesU, Udemy, Khan Academy, Coursera and edX to name a few. There are even many free YouTube videos to learn new skills, including sharpening those cooking skills.
Use this gift of time to engage the whole family. Clear out the clutter in the house and do it with some fun; blast the music or make it into a family game challenge. Why not have a themed movie night with family favourites? Or get the family moving with a dance party and take turns DJ-ing! Get the idea?
Build Healthy Habits!
Perhaps we could use the time to improve our health and build more healthy habits like going for a daily walk in the morning or starting a meditation practice. It can help to add some visualization of a future filled with health and fun activities with friends and family. Even consider the practice of loving-kindness meditation. (See this blog post for a free meditation you can do.)
There are many companies with apps and on-line subscriptions that offer free classes and fitness programs such as Nike Training Club and 7 Minute Workout for fitness and Headspace, Calm and The Tapping Solution for meditations and stress. This is a great time to try out a variety of new healthy activities at home!
Set Healthy Boundaries
When we find it hard to distract our mind from the media overload, going for a walk in nature can be helpful and so can a practice like qigong, yoga or tai chi. It’s also important to limit the ongoing chatter about Covid-19 to give your brain’s stress centre a break. Why not set limits on when and how we will talk about it with family and friends? It’s ok to let them know we’d rather focus on something positive. Try turning devices and news feeds off a couple of hours before going to bed and focus on nourishing activities like those above, watching a funny movie or even games night with the family. This will also help with getting better sleep.
Start the Day Off Right!
In the morning, start off with a calming routine like gratitude practice and mindful movement like qigong. Hold off on checking the news until later in the morning..... it will still be there! Take breaks to breathe from your belly and fill your body with that feeling of hope. In fact, just keep thinking of the word “hope” and what it means and feels like for a few minutes each day. As the saying goes, what we focus on grows!
Know someone who could use a bit of stress relief? Share this post and spread some joy! ☺️
Disclaimer: The content in this blog is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this blog or on this website.