Let it all go
In addition to the various ways you can give your brain a break, listed above, we invite you to also consider that, as you are reading this, in this very moment, right now, you are essentially ok. You have enough air to breathe; your heart is still beating; your body, while possibly a little fatigued or tense; is essentially ok. Do your best to connect to a felt sense that in this moment right now you are basically ok.
Even just for a moment see if you can let go of unnecessary worry and uneasiness. While there may have been times in the past when you’ve not been ok, and we don’t know what the future holds, see if you can acknowledge that in this moment right now you are essentially alright.
This is not about denying or pushing away your lived reality. It’s about finding ways to give your mind and body a break by connecting with what is actually happening in this moment, right now.
You can still be aware of what’s happening around you and inside you. You can still deal proactively and thoughtfully with the current challenges. In fact, doing so from a place of a felt sense of being ok will help you think more clearly, creatively and flexibly, as well as connect to and care for yourself and others more deeply.
By consciously and deliberately connecting to a place of calm and safety inside, even if only momentarily, multiple times a day, you can help settle and soothe your nervous system. This builds resilience making you more able to take sensible precautions without overreacting.
This article provides strategies designed to be used in a proactive way and are not designed to manage or treat significant emotional difficulties. If you need assistance please visit the dedicated Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service. Trained mental health professionals are available to talk to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, via phone.