Lockdown No. 2

Weathering the storm

As we enter our second national lockdown of the Covid-19 pandemic, more and more people are struggling with their mental health, worrying about work, family and Christmas, fear of missing out on celebrations, anxiety about buying presents for children. You are not alone, everyone is finding a way to cope with this uncertain situation and dealing with it in their own way. We hear people saying ‘We’re all in the same boat’ no we aren’t -we might all be travelling through the same storm, but some of us are in luxury yachts, some are on rafts, some of us have life- jackets and a crew, others have a broken oar and a wet map! So please be compassionate, think about your actions and don’t assume you know what someone else is going through. Even if you think your boats are the same- you might not be able to see the leak in theirs!

At Community Spirit we want to help you get through this and come out smiling. So here are 5 ideas to help you sail through it (sorry I just couldn’t resist that last pun)

• Write it down- whatever you are worrying about, feeling or thinking write it down. The process of writing things down helps to focus the mind, can clarify how you feel and help you to process and come up with solutions.
• Focus on your senses- if you feel overwhelmed or anxious, take a deep breath and concentrate on what you can see, touch, hear, smell and taste. This is a grounding technique and will help to bring you back to the present moment and what you are currently experiencing instead of your mind racing ahead.
• Go for a walk- physical activity is really beneficial in releasing seratonin, decreasing muscle tension and regular exercise can increase resilience.
• Talk to someone – Just because you cant physically be near others you can still phone, email, video-call or even write. Regularly connecting with others to share ideas and coping strategies can give you a sense of purpose, which in turn boosts your happiness. Even speaking to neighbours over the fence can be beneficial to you both.
• Turn off the news – or at least reduce how much time you spend watching it, obviously you do need to know whats happening but as the majority of the news is negative and sensationalised this can increase your fears and make you feel worse.