During times of crisis, it may be best to return to the basics. There is no question many of us in the world, literally, the world, are going through tough times. The struggle for many is real. There is also a part of the population that is fighting a battle you may not even see. Depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders, to name a few, are a battle that challenges every aspect of one's life. It can be crippling to get out of bed or stay focused on a task at work without a possible panic attack. Especially during a global pandemic.
It is imperative to do everything within our ability to help set ourselves up for success. That includes being conscious and deliberate in a consistent routine. We have seen there is a lot that is going on around that we are unable to control. Let's start with some tips on creating a wellness routine to help soothe your mood and contribute to healthy decisions that become a lifestyle.
Sleep: It will be important to get a thorough, REM stage navigating, an uninterrupted evening of rest. I said important, as many of you might have read or thought impossible! It may seem that way for some of you but continue to make this a priority each night and to start each day with 6-8 hours of rest minimum.
Bathe: Begin each day in water one way or another. There is a great flow of energy within water that we benefit from greatly. It feels nice to be clean and dried off to greet the day. Don't be afraid to experiment with essential oils, conditioners, and other natural products that can help hydrate our skin and repair damaged or dry skin/hair.
Clothes: Clean clothes to wear each day will make a lasting impression with how generally confident you are around others. We all know what it feels like to know we are not wearing something fresh out of the dryer. There isn't a requirement to wear designer collections every day. Make it a priority to stay on top of piles of laundry throughout the week. It adds up.
Activity: Movement is the goal. Get your body and blood moving early. This is going to be different for most people. But there are solutions in every circumstance to find a way. Create ways that may go missed on most days. Park a little further away. Take the stairs. Get up earlier to stretch before your shower. You can get very creative in city or rural environments.
Creativity: Express yourself in any way possible that you desire. The beauty is there are many forms of art, music, dance, and expression. Find a way to say it. This will help your well being and positively affect your relationships. It will spark your unique gifts. It will ground you and give you tangible evidence that you're capable of more than you may generally feel. It will feed your heart to do this for yourself daily.
Diet: This may be tougher for most during this time as I recognize many may be in financial distress and will have to make resources allow them to survive. We will be kind to ourselves during this time if choices are recognized as not the best but what must be done. Do the absolute best we can with what we do put into our bodies. Including drinking lots of clean water every day.
Meditation: Spending time in silence, unplugged from electronics, and focused on the present state of mind is extremely healing. It can be intimidating to some and is not easy. There are many forms of meditation. Guided meditation may help those who are newer and unsure of how to practice on their own. Meditation with nature sounds, flowing water, or light rain may really help. Consciously receiving and soaking in all sounds around you to be aware of what is around us to get us out of our state of worry or depression. There are many more as well. Don't be afraid to try different styles as you may find one will particularly work best for you. The benefits are incredible with consistent meditation. We can create new neuron activity and make new brain associations with an optimistic future while being able to respond to positive thought.
These are the top areas of concentration for a daily routine that all of us can at least attempt to carry out no matter where we live. When we have the resources we should try to attempt to rest at night, get a shower or take a bath, regularly do laundry, exercise daily, expression through a hobby like art, music, dance, be in thought during silence, and try to make good food choices.
None of this is a secret or new. The challenge is to do it over and over again. This could set up the consistency which can extend into improving other areas of our lives. Please give yourself a chance to commit to yourself with these practices during Covid-19 measures.
Do whatever is available to you through research in your county of your state to find out what resources are available to get into a behavioral health facility for inpatient/outpatient treatment. Many may not realize how many federal, state, and local resources there are for mental health needs. The RESOLVE Network nationwide helpline is 1-866-668-2566. That will be a great place to start. Be well kind world.
Michael B. George
