Principle #1 – Tap into Your Fun Quotient
It’s been seven months since the first COVID-19 case was confirmed. Thousands of people have lost their jobs. It’s been three months since George Floyd was brutalized by police. It’s been over 400 years of racial discrimination. There have been natural disasters, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and forest fires. We have been challenged with all of this in 2020. Yikes…no wonder our emotions feel out of control!
The issues we face daily gets to be too much. I get it…I was on the struggle bus for two days last week. First Lady Michelle Obama shared her struggles on her latest podcast. I appreciate hearing her story because we really aren’t alone in our feelings. I think we all have hit the emotional wall at one time or another. It’s hard to keep going sometimes. But there’s brightness when we step off that bus.
“Your mind is a powerful thing. When you filter it with positive thoughts, your life will start to change.” – Gautama Buddha
These are a few of the negative issues we are facing, but we also have many positives to focus on. We have our front-line workers still treating patients and people working together, organizing food drives for their communities. Many people are protesting together for equal rights, black, white, young, and old alike. Look around…there are many more positive things happening around us.
We must step back from the negative and take care of our emotional health. These strategies help me, maybe they will help you as well.
- Unplug – Turn off or limit the news and social media. The media is in the business of reporting negative stories. And hearing about COVID all the time is depressing. Also, hearing about our federal government disagreeing about how to help the American people is exhausting. Listening to this administration share misleading or incorrect information is dangerous and draining. It’s hard to watch stories of large gatherings where people aren’t wearing masks. All of these stories take a toll on the emotions.
- Appreciate – We feel so much better when we can see the positive things happening in our life. There are vaccines in clinical trials. We can be thankful for our essential workers as they deliver our mail, pick up our trash, and stock our shelves. We can appreciate our family and friends who are checking in with us. Take the time to appreciate the natural beauty surrounding us. There are many more blessings in our lives. We just need to take notice.
- Laugh – We need to have fun every day! Laughter feeds the soul. I challenge you to do at least two things that bring a smile to your face or a laugh to your belly. Sit outside, close your eyes, and listen to the birds sing. Take a walk with the family pet. If it’s too hot outdoors, work a puzzle inside. My favorite…watch a Hallmark movie. I know these movies are corny and predictable, there’s just something touching about watching nice people doing nice things for their community.
“Laugh loud and laugh often. It’ll keep you happy, keep you healthy, and keep your attitude headed in a positive direction.” – Mac Anderson
These are simple things to do, which may make a big difference in coping with our feelings. We need to take care of our mental health, especially during turbulent times. So, give yourself permission for self-care…unplug, appreciate, and laugh. Please take care of yourself and reach out to a professional if you need help coping. You are not alone, so please don’t suffer alone. We’re resilient, and we’ll come out of this stronger.
Freedom is possible!
Love,
Deb