Find Calm During Chaos
Hey There Mamas!
I just wanted to reach out and share some tips that have helped me these past few days as I've felt myself begin to spiral into anxiety, panic, and unease about the unknown days ahead. Based on the news from other countries and other states it seems we could be headed for a temporary change in the way we live our daily lives. I, like I'm sure many of you, found myself glued to my cellphone and news articles for the past couple of days. I have not been calm. I've been less present with my son, less present with my husband, found less enjoyment in my weekend, and had no answers for what was to come.
Thankfully, with the help of my husband and a few friends posting some helpful things on Facebook amidst the chaos posts, I realized I was spiraling and needed to get myself out of it. I needed to find my calm again. Here are some tips that have helped me return to a calm state (at least for now) and I hope they can help you as well.
Set limits on your phone for social media and news apps. If you have an iPhone, you can go into your settings and set limits or how many hours and minutes you can use each app. When you read it, your phone pops up and you have to manually override the message to continue using the app. This can help you consume information a bit more mindfully instead of losing 3 hours to facebook articles that are all telling you the same thing.
Recognize when being informed turns to 'being obsessed'. During unknown times, it's important to know what is happening in your city, with your schools, and in the country. You can do this by checking news each day and taking in information from reliable sources (like the CDC). Set up boundaries for yourself. Make a specific time each day where you check in with the news and see what's going on and then put your phone or computer away and turn off the TV. It doesn't help to mindlessly read the same thing over again. Just as an example, today in Tulsa they are having a meeting tonight to talk about closing schools for an extended spring break. I read about this two days ago. Since then, I've felt the urge to go to the Tulsa Public Schools Facebook page multiple times to look for an update. However, the meeting hasn't happened yet, there is no update. Sometimes our desire for more information overrides what is rational. Set limits, notice when you're overdoing it, and ask for help from your spouse or family if you need someone to keep you accountable.
Turn Panic into Gratitude. I found myself panicking about the possibility of schools closing, working from home, and being stuck inside. Within a few minutes of looking around and noticing where I am - I was able to get some gratitude. If we do have to stay home for a few weeks I can be grateful for the home we are staying in. We have a backyard my son can play in. We have a washer, dryer, oven, stove, refrigerator, TV, internet access, and a billion other things that we can enjoy while we are here. It will give us more time together as a family. It will give us some much needed time to rest, reset, and connect.
Learn and Practice Some Relaxation Skills. Have you been wanting to take up meditating? Yoga? Practice your breathing? Now is the time. An easy skill you can use is diaphragmatic breathing. Hold your hand on your stomach, break-in for 3 counts and inflate your stomach like a balloon, breathe slowly out of your mouth for longer than you breathed in. Doing this calms your nervous system. Do it 2-3 times, a few times each day. This will help you feel a sense of calm and peace in your body. Combining this with reducing exposure to social media and news can help your body and mind find calm in the chaos.
Put away your phone, turn off the TV and get on the floor with your kids. This has been one of the most calming and mindful activities in which I have engaged in the last few days. My son is a toddler, has no idea what is happening, and is very excited to sit in his room, and play legos. Put everything away, engage with your kids (or play a board game/ watch a movie with your friend or significant other). Do something besides focus on the chaos for a while. Check out. Take a break. Have a Netflix marathon by yourself if you're alone. The point is we don't have to be plugged in all the time. The news will be there in an hour when you finish your activity. You'll feel calmer, more connected with your environment, and more connected with your body after giving yourself a break.
We've all got to support each other during times like these. Be kind and compassionate to yourself, your family, your friends, and your neighbors.
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