Right now, we have nothing but time. And while I would like to say that I’m one of those DIY queens that’s also on her Peloton for 3 hours a day followed by baking 63 pies all while getting her Masters — I’m more the finishing books, going on walks and taking naps type.
That leaves a lot of time for anxious thoughts. Like a lot of time. And anyone with anxiety will tell you that time is our biggest enemy. We don’t like quiet moments to think.
Here in quarantine, I’ve got a lot of damn time. Which means all of the insecurities and fears I have worked hard to overcome are creeping back up. On top of that, because I have all this time, I’ve discovered new insecurities I never knew existed.
I know I’m not the only one.
As difficult as it is, as stressful as life is, you’ve got to be diligent in how you take care of yourself. 2020 is sort of a test. It’s the world finally saying ok, all those tools you’ve been learning to put in your toolbox, it’s time to break those out.
For my fellow anxiety sufferers, this is your time to get to work. It’s not going to be easy, it’s not going to end anytime soon but it’s critical to surviving and thriving in a pandemic.
Here are my favorite strategies when it comes to being a super anxious person in the time of the Rona!
Acceptance
The only way to start the process of surviving and thriving is to accept the situation. Wrap your mind around where we are at and that we aren’t going back to normal anytime soon, if ever. Understand this will be a challenging time and that’s not something you can wish away. You’re in this, and yes, your anxiety is going to take a toll. Set that baseline expectation.
Make a Plan
Until you have your anxiety under control you need to create a detailed plan. Make a schedule. Stick to it. Create healthy habits. Wake up at the same time everyday. Make healthy meal choices. Include fitness into your routine daily. Get good rest. Pickup a passion project. Read books. Plan your days and stick to them so that you find patterns of positive behavior.
Log Off
Technology is critical to keeping the world moving. We need it for work, social media, and especially now, we use it daily. It’s equally important to log off. That goes for work too. Set boundaries. Get away from social media, cell phones, and sitting in front of the computer
Check In
Check in with yourself early and often. If something isn’t working, adjust. Take a pulse check everyday, throughout the day and figure out what is working well and where you might need to regroup. Don’t get complacent. Mix it up. Keep pushing the boundaries of comfort but be mindful to keep your calm at the center.
Rinse and repeat. There’s no one size fits all to get through this thing. All I know is we are all fighting different battles and little kindness and compassion for everyone (including ourselves) is the only way to survive. And while everything might seem a little doom and gloom right now, choose your battles. Life isn’t canceled. Joy isn’t canceled. New adventures aren’t canceled. It’s up to you what kind of year 2020 will end up to be. Choose wisely.