6 minute read
Being Mindful Towards Ourselves and Towards Others During COVID-19 Pandemic
By Risqi Sofy Dwi Cahyani International Relations Student at International University Liaison Indonesia (IULI) Email: risqi.cahyani@stud.iuli.ac.id
[1] for more than a year, the COVID-19 pandemic has been dominating the news, capturing our minds, stoking our concerns, and triggering, stirring up, or heightening a wide variety of emotions in ways that were unexpected to many of us at the time. It has been wreaking havoc on our lives.
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[2] it has resulted in the loss of life, the disruption of livelihoods, and severe influence on education today.
[3] feeling overwhelmed by a lockdown, as well as making the adjustment to completely adapt to e-learning or working from home, can be challenging. Amidst the global pandemic, we have all had to alter our ways of living and doing our jobs.
[4] healthcare employees may be overburdened, overworked, afraid, struggling to balance their time between work and home. Patients who already suffer from anxiety, stress, or mental health problems may feel overwhelmed by the prospect of experiencing additional concern or terror.
[5] people who abuse substances may become increasingly reliant on anything they can get their hands on to fulfil their addictions. Caregivers may be burdened with an additional load of work. Children and young adults have lost connection to the learning environment they were used to and facilities offered by school, while also facing their own anxieties and fears in their own because of the lack of assistance from sources other than their own family.
[6] older individuals have struggled managing themselves and their needs, and may have lost not just external assistance, but they may also have the idea that once one reaches a certain age one is deemed as fragile and no longer valuable. Now, let us throw financial and employment volatility into the equation, and we have a social structure that is under threat.
[7] however, despite the hopelessness, dread, and worries, there have been glimpses of a society in which there is a greater feeling of solidarity and compassion. It is normal to feel worried and scared, but prolonged stress may have a negative impact on our mental health and emotional wellbeing. Therefore, the importance of looking after our mental health is equal to that of looking after our physical health. being healthy is more than simply physical – it begins in the mind. With all the chaos that surrounds us, it may be difficult to recognize the silver lining, or the positive aspects of the most difficult situations. The present moment is an excellent opportunity to stand back and take a deep breath. One of my favourite quotes about breathing originates from a Vietnamese monk named Thich Nhat Hanh, who once stated that
[10] indeed, breathing is the most effective tool for bringing us out of our swirling, worrying thoughts and getting us back into our senses. Additionally, we may bring our attention back to the things we are listening to right now, or to the feeling of a light breeze touching our skins and fingers, while walking outside and looking at the sun. This is the act of returning to our senses in our body, which assists us in returning to the present. If your thoughts begin to wander, simply recognize that they have done so, accept that they have done so, and bring your focus back to your breathing pattern. That was a basic example of mindfulness – stress-reduction method that can involve a simple sort of meditation or a variety of other ways that help you slow down and be present in the present moment.
[11] mindfulness is a method that may be an excellent daily practice in alleviating worries and anxiety. Take a few minutes to reflect on the things you are thankful for. Know, that much of what is happening right now is beyond our control, which led us to feel overwhelmed – this type of feeling is usually followed by immense thoughts such as what if or if only.
[12] put those ideas aside for a split second and try to forget about them. Take a few deep breaths in and out many times. It is possible for us all to practice mindfulness, by paying attention to our experience of the present moment, which includes acknowledging our emotions and thoughts. Some of our experiences are enjoyable, while others are painful, or at least unpleasant to us. Rather than responding negatively to our experiences, mindfulness encourages us to create wiser, more compassionate outcomes while dealing, especially with the current pandemic, which comes with a high degree of uncertainty about the future.
once we understand what we can control and what we cannot, we will be able to distinguish between the two more clearly.
[14] mindfulness also teaches us how to continue in the most compassionate way possible, both towards ourselves and towards others. Even though we are all in this together, it is vital to remember that each of us has their own sets of circumstances.
[15] we have all gone through the same storm, but we have not all been in the same boat. It is impossible to precisely know who, for instance, has underprivileged family members, which may be under higher risk of danger, or which already struggle with depression and hence are exposed to uncertainties and severe anxiety. Therefore, it is more important than ever to be kind and understanding.
[16] all in all, the pandemic’s influence on people’s well-being will be with us for a long time. It may be important to recall that everyone is impacted by the coronavirus issue and that they may feel more worried and irritated than they did before the pandemic. The practice of being mindful towards others can be done by listening to one another's concerns and caring for oneself, focusing on what draws us together and what we hope to see in the upcoming years. For many people, contentment and normality will return rather quickly. Some people will take far longer to heal than others, particularly those who have lost families, jobs, or other important aspects of their own existence. This year has taught us that in the next several years of recovery, we are required to deliberately begin creating a future based on mindfulness, compassion, and sincerity.
Autobiography: Sofy is a student at the Indonesian International University Liaison. She is now pursuing a degree in international relations, which is mostly motivated by her passion for history and cultures. Other than that, she volunteers at the Tzu Chi Foundation while working in the legal department of BSA Land.
