Posted by Pandemic sucks. Staying at home, travel limitation, constant fear for your life and health, the financial impact on unemployment, impediment of small businesses, and many other things brought our nation to its knees.
Today, there is so much uncertainty and doom that it is hard to find the energy needed to get up and function every day. The post will share three things I started practicing, which brought me joy in my day-to-day life. The steps are free, take very little or no time, and help to feel better every day.
Start with gratitude
I struggle with appreciation. We all do take many things for granted. We no longer notice simple miracles, like the fact that your lungs make thousands of breaths every single day. We do not appreciate warm water, natural sunlight, and many other things. In fact, when something becomes a norm, we do not appreciate it until we lose it. I started to love my feet, only after I broke one of my toes and could not walk for a week.
Action:
- Start a Gratitude Journal – a notebook that you can use to write down five things that you are thanful for every single day. I started the practice in Feb of this year, I am amazed at times about all the incredible little things that give me joy every day. When I feel down, I re-read it, and recall all the blessings in my life. Refocusing on what is good helped me to invite more positive in my life and notice each moment.
- Pause throughout your day. Unplug, turn off devices. Bring your awareness to your breath, check-in with your body, and tune in with your emotions. Simply acknowledge what is happening. Awareness is a key to a calmer, more present mind, more focus, and more joy.
Accept present moment
We resist what is here every single day. We may dislike the feedback provided by our boss, the fact that your spouse burned your toast, your kids are misbehaving again, and the boyfriend did not take the trash out like he was supposed to. We focus on the lack, and we resist. I do too!
The secret to thriving is trusting life more and going with the flow of events, knowing that everything that is present in our lives today is here to help us grow and thrive. We are not here to suffer. That said, in my day-to-day life, it is hard to stay present and let go of the notion of fixing everything. The urge to resist people, events, situations, and many other things is primordial.
Action:
- Notice when you feel like arguing, resisting what is, and confronting something or someone in your life. Watch your body and mind reacting to the words, situations, and events. Be curious about your body sensation during a resistance attack. Accept how you feel and welcome your resistance. Let go of the need to control, accept what is. You are resisting.
Let go of fears and take action
Today is the 14th month since the pandemic has started, and frankly, we all very tired of it. The issue with lockdown and isolation is that it breeds fear due to the messages in social media and rehashes of the horror stories of folks and families affected by the health crisis. The reality is, the certainty you are waiting for, the safe space, when human interactions will stop being risky, does not exist.
Life is risky. The truth is our lacking energy comes from the fact that we suppress our true nature: to love, hug, connect with others, and that breeds anxiety, fear, and depression. We are born to connect and to belong to a group; that is what makes us feel at home.
Action:
- Reach out in a small way. For example, go to the grocery store, go on a hike, or grab a coffee with an old friend. Human connections are immensely healing and rewarding to us, in many ways. So do connect.
- Do one thing that brings you closer to other people every day. You will experience resistance and fear, work through it. Do not give up. You are worth it. Your relationships will heal you, and boost your self-esteem.
Thrive in America 