YOU’RE ALLOWED TO BE STRESSED AND OTHER UNCONVENTIONAL MINDFULNESS TIPS
YOU’RE ALLOWED TO BE STRESSED AND OTHER UNCONVENTIONAL MINDFULNESS TIPS
As more and more basic services shut down in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, many well-meaning organizations are touting positive messages and strategies for making the best of social distancing and the cancellation of so many revenue-generating events.
That’s great. We appreciate all those ideas, thoughts, and positive energy in a time of stress and chaos. BUT…
It’s ok to be stressed.
We know! That’s probably the last thing you expected to hear from an organization that promotes mindfulness. But if there’s anything we’ve learned from our mindfulness trainers and mental health practitioner partners, it’s that validating your feelings is one of the most important things you can do. And no matter how you slice it, this is a stressful situation!
So parents trying to work at home with kids, business owners with location-based products or services, hourly workers, event coordinators, and anyone else who’s struggling to keep calm, it’s ok. You’re allowed to be stressed, to feel fear and frustration and irritation.
If you’re ready to start healing those feelings of stress and upset, we do have some tips for you! But if you need more time to just feel your feelings, skip to number 5.
5 UNCONVENTIONAL TIPS FOR HANDLING STRESS
Desperate times call for unconventional measures, wouldn’t you agree? In the spirit of “Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.” we’ve put together a list of stress-reducing strategies that fit this particular crisis, even if they don’t fit traditional mindfulness rules.
1. BE UNPRODUCTIVE
With kids at home OR a job you can’t work remotely, you’re not getting much work done anyway, and the weather’s finally warming up. So get outside, take a break from 5-minute bursts of work punctuating by whining, crying, and complaining, and let the fresh air and Vitamin D work its magic. And then plop your little angels in bed for a nap or some quiet time so you can get some work done (or just have a few minutes to yourself).
2. PLUG IN TO TECHNOLOGY
Social distancing and isolating are cold, unpleasant words. The introverts among us probably haven’t noticed anything yet, but the extroverts are no doubt missing in-person meetings, events, and get-togethers. Some things can’t be replaced by technology but you’d be surprised how many of our work and personal interactions can still take place in some capacity through technology! Replace workshops with webinars, coffee dates with conference calls, and dining out with delivery.
3. LIVE OUT OF THE CURRENT MOMENT
Disclaimer: we believe there’s always benefit to be had by clearing your mind and appreciating the current moment (#Breathe123 anyone?), BUT when the current day is so full of stress, that advice can be hard to follow. So if thinking about the present moment isn’t working for you, try focusing on the past. What situations in your past seemed equally stressful at the time but no longer have an impact on you? How did you overcome it? And then imagine the future. In 5 years, or 10 years, how is the current situation going to impact your life? Are the effects really that long-lasting?
4. CHALLENGE YOURSELF
Because things aren’t already challenging enough, right? Well, actually, this is one challenge that might actually make life easier. If you’re in the mood for some traditional mindfulness, try our email meditation challenge. 14 days of meditations delivered to your inbox so you can complete it all at home while still successfully “self-isolating.” And if all else fails…
5. SCREAM INTO A PILLOW
Decades of dramatic movie scenes can’t be wrong, right? Well, actually they can, but there are a few different studies that examine the effects of screaming and while the results are mixed, it’s not actually harmful. So if you’re at your wit’s end, why not give it a try?
Wishing you minimal stress as we navigate the coronavirus pandemic.