We’re entering a prolonged period of lock-down weirdness. It’s affecting everyone. Currently being unapologetically can-do, I feel lucky that I’m able to notice and articulate these things for me and I thought I’d try to write it down for me and you.
My initial reaction to this pandemic was practical – focused on the actions required to make sure risks were managed and contingencies planned and a sharp anxiousness for the welfare of my loved ones with ‘underlying health conditions’. As time goes on, I feel shifts and changes in what’s going on in me and what I notice in others.
Personally, I’ve noticed how I can be completely focused on one thing like digging a new vegetable bed then quickly be distracted and overtaken by something else like thinking about how a virtual funeral would work – I am feeling quickly shifting, intense emotions and I find it difficult to stay focused.
My body is holding aches and tightness in various places – shoulders, knees, stomach, forehead.
I take comfort in knowing that all of this is very normal human reaction to stress.
Thoughts – sometimes, because I now have all the time in the world, I find myself wanting to just notice what’s happening within me, focus in on really detailed things – thoughts – what exactly and precisely do I imagine may go wrong? What exactly can I control? If I can’t control it, try to remember that.
Physical – regular exercise at 3pm every day for an hour is going to get me buff by the end of lockdown. Tapping my body and asking myself questions – I was fortunate to attend an EFT training recently.
Emotional – I try to remember that no emotion is ‘wrong’ and all emotion is temporary. I try to turn towards the uncomfortable ones and be with them for a bit – like waves in and out.
Remember to keep breathing.