Coronavirus and Me

Welcome to my first, official blog post which will be a four-part weekly series pertaining to the Coronavirus pandemic. I decided to start with the most important person that deserves essential care: YOU! Everyone else should come secondary to your mental health because as the old age adage screams, how can you take care of anyone else if you don’t take care of yourself?

I don’t think any of us could have fathomed experiencing something so life-changing in our lifetime. Yes, we may have envisioned challenges but I doubt to this magnitude that we are witnessing. No matter how spiritual you are or the fortitude that you possess within, this by all means is a trying and scary situation, especially when the “experts” continually change their thoughts and demonstrate daily that they are flabbergasted. How can you keep your sanity and hope alive to believe in life as you’ve always known it? That’s the tricky part of it all, but it is doable if you are willing to accept change.

Life as we know it may never be again. We may have to adjust to new social distancing rules from here until the end, but you are here for a reason. You can adjust to this “new normal” just as you’ve adjusted to all of the other new normals in your life. You’ve had all kinds of challenges presented in your life and you’ve learned to adapt and accept. At this point, it’s key to evaluate your life. What’s working? Identify the strengths and goodness that you want to continue and make those things priorities. You are victorious and will not come out of this the same. The end game can be such a beautiful blessing because you now have much desired downtime that you once lacked prior to the pandemic to determine your next moves; however, it takes motivation and strife to make it happen.

As you are discovering how you can achieve what you need for your life on this individual journey, please do not neglect self. Self requires holistic care in order to stand strong, move forward, and to defeat the hurdles. It’s also needed to combat the onset of diagnoses pertaining to PTSD(post-traumatic stress disorder), anxiety and depression that could develop during uncertain times, such as the times that we are currently enduring. Here are a few tips to help you proceed and to regain your new level of normalcy:

1. Identify the areas in your life that could use an overhaul along with the areas that are beneficial to your overall being.
2. Set realistic goals for yourself with a realistic time table of how and when to achieve these new goals.
3. Each day recite a positive affirmation for your life, which could include a spiritual affirmation or biblical passage.
4. Develop a new schedule for yourself that you stick to which creates a level of normalcy for yourself. This includes a schedule for your family as well because it benefits you.
5. Carve out individual time for yourself daily to meditate, pray, read, or whatever that brings you a sense of peace without focusing on the world’s happenings.
6. Take a walk outside of your home. Even if it’s only around your neighborhood, to the mailbox and down the street, fresh air is tranquil.
7. Know your slumber number. How many hours do you need to feel fully functional? For some, it could be 6-8 hours, but you could require more. Aim to achieve that amount nightly of much needed rest to put today’s happenings to bed.
8. Make a new playlist of your favorite types of music. Whether you enjoy rap, country, old school, or gospel…get your music on and dance!
9. Find your support network. Sometimes this is your family, coworkers, colleagues, church members, or social groups with people who share similar interests. Whoever it is, it’s your circle and it’s necessary.
10. Count your blessings. There is so much to be grateful for no matter what your situation.
11. Give in to your emotions. It is always ok to feel what you are feeling. So today, you may be feeing sad, hopeless, undetermined, or defeated. Tomorrow is a new day and could bring HOPE, JOY, STRENGTH and DETERMINATION.
12. DO NOT GIVE UP! Stay in the fight and keep moving. Try to remember that each day has its’ own challenges, but you will not be defined by your circumstances.

What are some other tips that you are utilizing that you can share? Let’s talk about it. Leave a reply down below.

***I hope any and everything that I post on my blog helps you and enhances your life in many positive ways. In the event that you need mental help, please contact a local therapist in your area; however, if you are in need of immediate assistance for an emergency, please dial 911.

Next week’s topic: CORONAVIRUS AND THE FAM