Mental Well-Being in a Pandemic Part II
If you missed Part I, start here!
So I am in my house, feeling gratitude for my surroundings and safety at this time. This is the first step, and recognizing gratitude can feel like a big steaming pile of BS when you are too busy spiraling over lack of control. At least, that has been my experience as a person with anxiety!
Here's a handy visual that's gone around with examples of things we can and cannot control:
Another helpful tool has been yoga! I really enjoy Cole Chance's channel on Youtube, but I am open to any of my friends sharing their practices too! I also like doing Tai Chi, or just turning on some music with a good beat and dancing. I still miss my weekly hip hop dance class, but connecting with my body and my breath is still important for my physical and mental well-being!
Finally, I recommend remembering to laugh and stimulating your interests. A great way to accomplish both of these things is tuning in to podcasts! Any of Nicole Byer's programs make me laugh (she just started a new one where she watches Star Wars for the first time and I love it!), as well as Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend. My bestie Jess got me into ArtCurious, which takes you beyond the paint and canvas and marble to share stories about artists and their works. And when I need a little coaching, I've enjoyed Unf*ck Your Brain lately. I could devote a whole post reviewing all of my favorite podcasts, but these have been the most enjoyable for me to catch up on.
We can choose what we consume, and we can't expect it to be perfect and wholesome all of the time either. But we can take comfort in the fact that we can be present and intentional, and most importantly kind to ourselves and others!
So I am in my house, feeling gratitude for my surroundings and safety at this time. This is the first step, and recognizing gratitude can feel like a big steaming pile of BS when you are too busy spiraling over lack of control. At least, that has been my experience as a person with anxiety!
Here's a handy visual that's gone around with examples of things we can and cannot control:
Things I can control from r/nycIt seems a little contradictory to me that I'm agreeing to limit social media when I've just decided to share a blog, but I'm going to focus on the fact that I want to share positive, helpful things here. Focusing on things where we get to decide the outcome for ourselves can remind us to be present and intentional.
Another helpful tool has been yoga! I really enjoy Cole Chance's channel on Youtube, but I am open to any of my friends sharing their practices too! I also like doing Tai Chi, or just turning on some music with a good beat and dancing. I still miss my weekly hip hop dance class, but connecting with my body and my breath is still important for my physical and mental well-being!
Finally, I recommend remembering to laugh and stimulating your interests. A great way to accomplish both of these things is tuning in to podcasts! Any of Nicole Byer's programs make me laugh (she just started a new one where she watches Star Wars for the first time and I love it!), as well as Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend. My bestie Jess got me into ArtCurious, which takes you beyond the paint and canvas and marble to share stories about artists and their works. And when I need a little coaching, I've enjoyed Unf*ck Your Brain lately. I could devote a whole post reviewing all of my favorite podcasts, but these have been the most enjoyable for me to catch up on.
We can choose what we consume, and we can't expect it to be perfect and wholesome all of the time either. But we can take comfort in the fact that we can be present and intentional, and most importantly kind to ourselves and others!
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