Day 5 … how are you?
/So yeah, it’s been a while. and I’ll tell y’all whats been going on, but there will be time for that later.
Things are weird right now, am I right? Global pandemic - it feels like I woke up in the middle of a Dan Brown book. “Social distancing” is a thing now. That is, except for me and my 4.5 year old. We are together all the time. It’s only day 5 and I’m feeling it.
You probably already know this about me because I am an open book (see my post here), but for those of you that don’t, I have a history of anxiety - with the Big A.. I also have close family members who have grappled with mental illness and substance abuse and addiction.. In short, I have put a lot of time in with this stuff. Over the years I’ve learned a lot on how to prevent and manage it.
I’m trying to look on the bright side here. The kiddo and I are spending all our time outside - alone, and learning in fun new ways. But I have to be honest, I’ve been feeling wobbly for sure. Homeschooling a preschooler - indefinitely (ABCMouse and FreeForest School FTW!), likely to have my husband working from home - indefinitely (there is no FTW here). It’s going to be a lot - indefinitely.
One of the top triggers for mental illness is social isolation. The top triggers for my anxiety is uncertainty, massive change in routine, and stress.. These times we are in now are trying, socially isolating, and scary and new, and stressful. All together, a recipe for anyone to be feeling anxious and off kilter.
So, you may feel fine right now. You may have no history of dealing with this. You may end up not dealing with this. But, given the circumstances, something certainly could crop up with you or with someone you love, and even not, it won’t be surprising if you start to feel off kilter.too.
So, here is my unsolicited (but tested) advice, collected from a dear friend Stephanie Hossfeld, on how to guard yourself and keep yourself healthy and in check during these bonkers times:
get dressed … leggings count
Shower. Get dressed (yes leggings clothes). Wear deodorant. Trim your beard (note that I did not specify gender). Trim your nails. If you normally wear makeup, wear makeup!. Practice your normal skin care regime. Put together cute outfits if you normally put together cute outfits.
Take care of your body. You may think of your body and mind as separate, but your body will be a snitch and let your mind know if you aren't taking care of it. This includes everything from getting your nutrients to drinking water to taking care of your back pain to getting enough sleep.
Rest and take care of your body … be like rudy
3. Get that cardio in. You need to actually sweat and get your heart rate up for like 30-45 minutes to make a difference in the endorphins.
4. Make a schedule. You need structure. You may feel like you are enjoying your freedom (at whatever level your work and family life allows), but decision-making throughout the day will fatigue your mind and will get harder, especially if you do start to feel down. Your transitions will get prolonged and your frustration level will rise. Routine is one of the mainstays of managing mood issues.
5. Talk about your feelings, even if they upset you. Crying doesn't mean the end of the world, it's just a normal human response to being overwhelmed. You can always pick a time when the kids are in bed or you already accomplished what you needed for the day if you know this will be hard for you. Journaling is also great for a lot of people.
6 Stay connected. Talk to someone on the phone every day just for the enjoyment of it. Plan video hangouts. Play games online. Do movie watch parties. Gossip. Vent. Joke. You may even strengthen some of your relationships.
7. Limit exposure to negativity. Just because you aren't monitoring the news every second doesn't mean you aren't informed. Give yourself times of day when it's okay to check and times when you stay away. Allow yourself to tell people when you need a break from a conversation topic.
8. Make time for yourself. This sounds funny right now, but you can still be alone all day and not do this. Do something creative. Take 30 minutes just to listen to a podcast you enjoy. Take a course online that is only driven by your interests. Do some yoga. Do something just because you like it. LAUGH!!!
9. Watch your habits. A little extra drinking is one thing, but watch your habits. Pay attention to how you feel the next day. Pay attention to how it is changing you.
10. Forgive yourself. Most of this is out of your control.
Teddy taking part in the “forest school” available on the potomac river
11. Oh yeah, and GO OUTSIDE. Especially if you're about to lose it on someone. Take a breath of fresh air, take a look around. The world is still the same and standing. You can do this thing.
So in short. Take care of yo self. Do some nice things. Order some nail polish, read a book outside, laugh. Love yourself and others.
Let me know if you need someone to talk to, I’m here. Really, I’m not going anywhere!
** the main body of this was taken from the FB post of Stephanie Hossfeld
