Isolation Blues

As we start another week of isolation, I’m sure like you I started feeling differently, I felt confused. What was I feeling? Was it grief, depression or just sad our lives have changed?

I know I feel anxiety about our new way of living… visiting our local supermarket with masks and rubber gloves.

It’s heartbreaking to see what is happening to our communities, to people, to individuals, to families, to countries, to friends, to neighbours, to local businesses, to ourselves… There is plenty to be sad about. And yes, plenty to be grateful for too. But right about now, lots of us are struggling to focus on the positives. Our lives are changed for now. So how do we make the most of it? Here are some tips to help you with the isolation blues: Keep Focused on the here and now – Maybe learn Meditation If ever you needed a good reason to motivate you to finally start meditation – start today. Meditation helps us practice focusing on the hear and now, not worrying about tomorrow or yesterday. And there is nothing to be gained by worrying about where this pandemic will be tomorrow or next week or next month, it’s just going to cause you stress. Tomorrow is not something we can control, and worrying about what it will look like is not going to make it better. Start today with even 3-5 minutes of meditation. The more regularly you meditate, the calmer you’ll feel.

Start A Diary

If nothing else, this is a historical moment we are all living through. The Olympics have never been postponed before, but they have been in 2020. Your children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren are going to read about this pandemic in their history books. You have the opportunity to record your thoughts for them now. Get Outdoors and Breath If you’re doing this already, Great, keep it up! Don’t underestimate the impact you’re having on BOTH your physical and mental health. Everyone is allowed out for exercise and to walk the dog, so make sure you continue to do this. For those with anxiety, your breathing becomes shallower. So we need to practice slow breathing – breathing in slowly, breathing out slowly. When you do that, you’re telling your body that everything is okay and it can shut down the anxiety response. So practice breathing slowly in AND out, if you notice you’re feeling anxious. If you notice yourself feeling abit low put a post up on the group, a joke or just ask a question, we will all be there for you. We’ll get through this one day at a time.