How to Keep Yourself Grounded During These Stressful Times

by TIFFANY POWERS

Maintaining our physical, mental, and spiritual well-being can be a full-time job. It requires work even on “normal” days. But how do you keep yourself grounded in times like these - in the midst of a global pandemic, political division, a shaky economy, and extreme weather events?

Protecting your peace of mind and spirituality is harder and more important than ever right now. The American Psychological Association (APA) reports that in 2021, 67% of Americans report that the number of issues they are facing is “overwhelming.” And 84% of Americans reported feeling emotions associated with prolonged stress. Here are some tips to help you manage this stress and maintain your peace of mind.

Meditate Spend at least 15-30 minutes a day meditating. Maybe mindfulness meditation works for you. Maybe take a walk or listen to meditation music. The important thing is to take deep breaths and relax your body. A little meditation each day will clear your mind and help you focus on the present moment. It’s an excellent stress reliever, no matter how you do it. Avoid Debating Controversial Subjects There are some strong opinions out there right now. Give others, especially those you love, the space to make their own decisions. Be compassionate with those who think differently than you. Remember a time before controversy. Don’t let differing opinions jeopardize relationships with those you love. Maintaining a solid social support network is especially important right now - don’t strain those relationships by getting drawn into stressful debates that aren’t likely to accomplish anything anyway.

Maintain Positive Thoughts • Focus on Positive, Realistic Affirmations. Tell yourself “I am healthy.” “I am resilient.” “I am a willing participant in my own wellness plan.” “I choose to stay calm.”

Try different affirmations on for size until you find ones that work best for you. Focus on the love and joy in your life. This will provide an emotional lift. Try to avoid fear-based thinking. Fear-based thoughts sound like “I just know I’m going to get sick,” “This is the start of flu season,” or “I feel unsafe.” You may have fears about your career during this turbulent time. Avoid thoughts like “My business is probably going to close,” “There’s no way I can save money now.” We can’t avoid uncertainty, but we can avoid dwelling on it. Tell yourself “This will be a year of great change and I am open to whatever it brings.”

Be Prepared to Pivot 2020 and 2021 have forced us all to adapt - in our home lives, professional lives, social lives and in our family routines. Whether you needed to change your entire business model to survive through the pandemic, or adopt a whole new childcare plan, or change the way you run your entire household - we have all had to be more flexible than ever. Be open to this need for change. Be ready to pivot. Instead of resenting the circumstances and the need to make adjustments, accept and embrace the challenges this brings. Trust your intuition as you make these adjustments. Look at pivoting as an opportunity to improve. Your attitude towards the inevitable changes will determine how stressful they are for you.

Above all, remember that you alone set the tone for your life. Believe that you can and will not only survive, but flourish, while dealing with the challenges ahead. t