By Sparkle Abbey
For us, it’s week seven of practicing social distancing and working
from home. Or as we like to call it, doing our part. Basically, like everyone
else, we’ve been hunkered down in the same living space for over fifty days. (Why
do fifty days seem longer than seven weeks?) Sheltering in place or staying
at home, depending on your community, has us all feeling some sort of emotion—anxiety,
fear, worry, boredom, solidarity, gratitude or blessed. With this mixed bag of
emotions emerges the need to support each other, and it only takes a quick scroll
through social media to see or hear the reassuring phrase, “We’ll get through this
together.”
While it’s true we’re in this together,
each one of us is dealing with the pandemic crisis differently. Some of us are
staying busy baking, learning a new language, or tackling those long-forgotten DIY
lists. Others are just trying to make it through each day, putting one foot in
front of the other. Even for us glass-half-full folks, it can be difficult to
stay positive while the world is self-isolating.
We need to do more than just
survive, we need to thrive. With that thought, it’s more important than ever to
practice self-care. We wanted to share five questions to ask yourself daily.
- Who am I connecting with today? – We may call it social distancing, but it’s really physical distancing. Humans are social beings. Pick one or two people to check in with each day.
- What expectations of “normal” am I letting go of today? – This is the time to figure out what’s really important. We’re in the middle of a global pandemic. You don’t have to check off each item on your daily to-do list.
- How am I getting outside today? – Getting outside can improve your mood and reduced anxiety. Take a walk. Do some yoga in your backyard. Sit in the sun.
- How am I moving my body today? – Keep moving! An active lifestyle during quarantine is an important part of keeping both your body and your mind healthy.
- What am I grateful for today? - Take two minutes and jot down what you're grateful for or what has brought you joy that day. The practice of being thankful can help you relax and improve your mental health.
Sheltering in place is our normal for now. The idea is to ask these questions to check in with ourselves, but not
to stress about the answers. What you need might be different. If so what questions would you add to the list?
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