Mind the Mind
Looking after your mental wellbeing
through the chaos and uncertainty of the current world
We cant go outside so now is a great opportunity to go “inside”
The past few weeks have been intense! Our fundamentals have changed rapidly and continue to do so daily, depositing us in a new world of fear and uncertainty with high levels of stress. Now more than ever, it is important to Mind the Mind and be kind to oneself and others.
While we may not be able to go outside, we can go “inside”!
We hope La Maison Wellness’ advice for Managing the Mind will help you Healthy Hedonists through this difficult period.
Sit with it
Deprived as we are of the outside world, now is the perfect time to go “in”: to separate that tangle of emotions and give yourself space to process. It may be uncomfortable to experience the world right now, to sit with the anxious feelings and accept uncertainty; but long-term you will not only feel better, but hopefully able to take that first productive step!
Choosing escapism through comfort food and alcohol is a short-term solution that will ultimately have an unhelpful impact on your body and mind. It might stimulate our pleasure centres but over time will generate a negative mind-set with higher levels of anxiety and less motivation, not to mention a dependence on these “sticking plaster” coping mechanisms.
Sit with yourself, with your emotions and go inside: the answers are within
Practice Mindfulness
Breathing and meditation have been proven to reduce anxiety. In periods of crisis like now, when the mind is constantly triggered in stress and the body in permanent fight or flight response, these practices become a necessity and a powerful tool for us all. Use mindfulness to relax and calm yourself and your nervous system to come back to rest and digest response.
Practice with a friend over Skype, alone in silence or with tranquil music. A useful trick to manage your breathing is to imagine a square and trace it with your eyes: inhale as you travel along one edge, hold the breathe in as you travel the next edge, breathe out as you travel the next one hold the breath out as you follow the last side of the box, keep breathing like this for a few round following the outline of this imaginary square, soon feeling a sense of calm and ease in the body and the mind.
Schedule Life
A new routine is key to maintaining that positive mind-set. In times like these when it seems like nothing can be taken for granted, implementing structure is a great comfort and discipline. Yes, it’s hard when isolating at home with nowhere to go and nothing to do. It’s sooo easy to end up in the blur of bed-to-couch-to-fridge (repeat) but avoiding this will make the biggest difference to your mental state! Set your alarm in the morning, jump in the shower, get dressed- yes, I repeat, get dressed(!)- and go to sit somewhere other than in bed.
Something New
Do the things that light you up! The day will pass scrolling on Instagram, worrying about what you read on the news and not doing anything productive; but it will take a heavy toll on your anxiety. Stimulate yourself: paint, read, listen, dance, move, take an online yoga class, or try a new cooking recipe. We spend our life wishing for more time to ourselves, so turn isolation on its head and into a positive.
Manage news intake
The media bombards us with information every minute, much of which is unfounded and quite simply ‘click-bait’. This obviously has an impact on our emotional wellbeing, so be mindful of what you read and from what sources.
Try not to overdose on news about the pandemic- set aside a time each day to catch up, or limit to the government’s daily announcement- and remember to give yourself the space to process emotions the news might trigger.
Battery Dying
Our dependence on screens is even greater (didn’t think that was possible, but yes!) Modern technology is our most valuable tool in these times of isolation, but it’s a good idea to set aside time where you go without it. Reduced physical contact has increased virtual correspondence and as much as it’s amazing and does a lot of good, it’s best to keep it under control. Appreciate your time spent using technology, by giving yourself a break! Whether it’s leaving your phone in another room while you do something else, or being mindful to switch your computer off at the end of the day… make sure you recharge YOUR battery, far away from the blue light of your screen!
OOO
No the office isn’t open 24hours, so if you are working from home right now make sure you “leave the office”! This might mean turning off your computer and putting on some comfy clothes, treating yourself to a mindful cocktail, facetiming with friends and family, or a little bit of all of this!
If not now, when?
Remember that side hustle, that project you always wanted to do but never had the time? That book you’ve been dreaming of writing, the time for yourself you wish you had… perhaps it was more time to spend with your family?
Whether it's downtime, quality time, time to hustle, or a mixture of the three: bring your dreams to life! You have the time, so if not now… when?
Far away together
Physical distancing NOT social distancing! We don’t have to be breathing the same air to remain connected. No surprise, isolation can feel isolating… so this is the moment to reach out and call a friend or a family member. With today’s technology it’s easy to stay connected! We are going through this together and if it makes you feel a certain way, you can guarantee it will make other people feel like that as well. Reach out! It will help you and others.
Be Kind
Kindness can go a long way and when the world gets shaken up we need to bring kindness to the centre. Selfless acts of service, kind support, love and care for one another and the world is what we need. What’s more, it will give you a sense of purpose.
“ Grow through what you go through”
We will get through this together as a community. It will change the world, Healthy Hedonists, but we will learn from it.
UK contacts
If you’re isolating and feeling lonely, it’s affecting your mental health and you’re having negative thoughts and need help. REACH OUT
Call free on 116 123 or visit the Samaritans website
Shout offers confidential 24/7 crisis text support for times when you need immediate assistance.
Text "SHOUT" to 85258 or visit Shout Crisis Text Line
even when life gets tough you’re never alone so reach out