STAYING GROUNDED IN UNCERTAIN TIMES BY: MS. KELLEY GRIMES, MSW
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OVID-19 has disrupted our lives in so many ways and left us feeling fearful and anxious. A recent Time Magazine article reported that “mental distress among Americans has tripled during the pandemic compared to 2018. Last month, roughly 70% of Americans experienced moderate-to-severe mental distress – triple the rate seen in 2018,” according to Jean Twenge, coauthor of the study and a professor of psychology at San Diego State University. With so many people quarantined and feeling heightened levels of anxiety, there may be more complaints than usual and an urgency to have the issues resolved immediately. Many people are feeling overwhelmed by the Impacts of social distancing, isolation, health concerns, balancing responsibilities of family and work, and financial uncertainty. Chronic stress causes us to operate consistently from our amygdala or the fight/flight part of the brain. Stress heightens our reactivity and the more our amygdala is activated the less calm and grounded we feel, and the less creative we are in our problem solving. Understanding the unprecedented levels of stress we are all experiencing is critical to staying grounded in these uncertain times. When we are able to recognize how stress is impacting us and those we work with, we can choose empowered strategies to effectively address the problem and avoid escalating it. As leaders in our communities we can have a positive impact by intentionally cultivating ways to stay grounded as we navigate this challenging time. 10 |
CONNECT MAGAZINE • ISSUE TWO 2020
Here are 5 ways to stay grounded in uncertain times: 1. Begin by choosing not to take things personally. When we intentionally choose not to take things personally, we naturally connect to others with more empathy and compassion. Coming from compassion makes it much easier to avoid getting defensive and to make space to hear what the other person is saying. In these times when there is so much unknown, choose not to make assumptions and take things personally. 2. Manage your own stress. When you notice that your stress is high, take a break. Cultivate self-nurturing practices like taking a walk, exercising, meditating, yoga, deep breathing, journaling, gratitude practice, etc. The more you manage your own stress, the less other people’s stress will overwhelm you and the more you will be able to help create a more peaceful environment in your community. 3. Cultivate a non-anxious presence by choosing to pause, breathe, ground, and listen when addressing an issue. Use the STOP practice when feeling your anxiety creep in before responding– stop, take a breath, observe, and then proceed. If you practice this strategy throughout the day, you will notice when your stress level has increased and can make an empowered decision to do something nurturing before you become overwhelmed. Non-anxious leaders are the most effective in resolving problems and helping to decrease anxiety in difficult situations engendering more trust.
