Self-Care & Quarantine

We are living in weird times people. There aren’t exactly How To books focused on dealing with a worldwide pandemic, so give yourself grace and remind yourself we’re all just getting by at this point. Whatever your situation is, just know your feelings are valid and I see you. While we may not have control over what’s happening outside, we do have control over our self-care. Practicing self-care is NOT selfish, if anything it creates a positive ripple effect on the people in your life. Your emotions directly impact those around you, the better you feel, the better interactions you will have. Here are a few tips to get through this unpredictable time.

1.     Get moving! Take this how you will- exercise, go for walks, dance to an upbeat song inside, etc. Physical movement DECREASES stress hormones in our body, its science people!!

2.      Try something new. I normally am not an artistic person but I stepped out of my comfort zone and ordered two coloring books. After two months I’m sad to say I’m still not Bob Ross BUT it’s something different to do in-between work and a Netflix binge.

3.     Pamper yourself. This is so easily overlooked, yet super doable! Paint your nails, take a few extra minutes in the shower, take your time putting on lotion, etc. It can cost virtually nothing but will make our mind/bodies feel relaxed and taken care of.

4.     Do you have a kindle or similar e-reader? Get a library card! Y’all I was ready to pay an obscene amount on books via amazon and remembered my library has eBooks for checkout! I’ve read a few books at zero cost- highly recommend.

5.     Start journaling. It can feel helpful and relieving to put thought to paper. An extra tip I have for this one is to not focus on spelling, grammar, or the looks- JUST FREE WRITE. I don’t even re-read my entries, but that’s a personal call. If you’re struggling to see the light at the end of this corona tunnel, try journaling daily gratitudes! Ask yourself, what am I grateful for today?

6.     Be kind to yourself. Sorry to go full-blown therapist on you, but I stand behind recommending to practice positive self-talk. We can be so harsh on ourselves, including myself, so this is a great time to be aware of our inner dialogue. Not sure how to start? Whenever you are doing something try to notice any feedback popping up in your head, when it’s negative change that self-talk. “Why did you do that?” becomes “Look at you- trying something different!” My personal favorite is to quote mean girls, I tell myself “You go Glen Coco!” all the time. It tends to make me laugh but also feel positive, so it works for me. What do you think would work for you?

If you need extra support during this time, you can always talk to a professional. Therapy shouldn’t be scary, it’s simply a person who will always listen, never judge you, and be there to help guide you utilizing their clinical knowledge. Remind yourself this is all just temporary. You can get through this! We all will J