“What a year this week has been!” I’ve seen this phrase quite a bit online in the last few days. And it couldn’t feel more true.
There’s a lot of uncertainty and many unknowns surrounding us now. This Pandemic is causing some serious Panic and Pandemonium across the Planet. We’re all doing our best to stay in-the-know about how to stay healthy during this time. But so much is happening at once, between the endless news alerts on our devices and mounting fear and anxiety in our heads, that it’s nearly impossible to remember that we really need to press the PAUSE button.
Like it or not, an actual PAUSE is in order in many states across the country now. In New York, a pause will go into effect on Sunday at 8pm, effectively closing all non-essential businesses statewide. Life as we know it, is slowly but surely grinding to a halt. But still, our mind continues to race around the block at a crazy pace!
Now more than ever, we need to not only care for our physical health, but also be sure to pay attention to our mental well-being too. So, here are some tips as we all shift to a new reality of new habits and routines staying at home…
PAUSE – As we said before, there’s no better time to press that pause button than in this moment. Taking a pause is a chance to come back to the present. A pause can simply be a moment when you stop and notice the chaos in your head and say “My mind is running wild…I see it happening…I can choose to pause for a second and breathe.” Taking a pause can also be a more deliberate practice of actually pausing for a few minutes each day to close your eyes and meditate. Whatever you choose to do, try to make this a consistent habit each day. With time, it’ll be part of your routine. Check out the Insight Timer app for some great guided meditations.
PRAY – It’s easy to let stress, fear and uncertainty get in the way of our well-being. Prayer can be important in these moments when we are seeking comfort. You don’t have to subscribe to any particular religion or belief in order to pray. Prayer can take many forms. For instance, keeping a daily journal can be a great source of comfort. Writing a note to God, Spirit, The Universe (or whoever you choose) and asking for help, guidance, and wisdom can help put the racing mind at ease. If writing is not accessible to you, sitting quietly in prayer can offer the same benefits.
PATIENCE – More than ever, having patience that this too shall pass is absolutely critical. It’s much easier to be patient when we are certain of when things will get back to normal. But since we don’t know when things will be “normal” again, we need to work harder at practicing patience. That means being patient with others while we may be feeling a bit jittery and easily triggered. But it also means being patient with ourselves. A good way to get into this habit is to remind yourself that this is how things are “for now.” It won’t be this way “forever.” Repeat it to yourself often. It’s just for now. Having a balanced perspective and prioritizing patience is important.
Practicing these 3 P’s – Pause, Prayer, Patience can be crucial to bringing a little more peace into your day. Stay healthy. Stay well. Stay home….”for now!”
