Would you like ways of coping in these uncertain COV-19 times?

Will you look back on this time of the COV-19 pandemic and think that you made the most out of it? Or look back with regret that you stressed over things that made no real difference? We all have a choice as to how we respond to events out of our control. And I’ve had hundreds of clients share with me that times of adversity in their lives (natural disasters such as floods, fires, storms) and life events (accidents, job loss, Relationship breakdowns) all led to better things for them in the end. They just needed to trust and ‘ride the wave’ until it all became clear, keeping themselves focused on what they could control in their life.

What these clients share are positive outcomes such as meeting people in their community, experiencing a team spirit, receiving acts of kindness from complete strangers – these simple things opened their hearts to truly understand what is important in life. Maybe there are lots of good things awaiting you too, if you are open to them. The diagram below shows the many things that you are in control of each day – and also the things you are not in control of. So be mindful to put your attention and focus into the ones you are able to control so you can enhance your health and well-being.

This week I must have heard so many people say they feel out of control with COV-19. I hear you. And it is understandable with the unpredictable and surprising events that have happened within such a short amount of time. Remembering that we like change – when we choose it – helps us understand that it is ok to feel uncomfortable when situations are different around us without explanation.

It is perfectly natural to feel anxiety, stress and fear when we are bombarded with images of sick people and the prospects look grim. My advice at this time is to allow yourself to fully feel these emotions that you are feeling. Of course we all like to distract ourselves with food, social media, alcohol, gambling etc – and it is so much easier now we can access most of these online. You can easily look up images, music, comedians, books, podcasts, recordings, and meditations that uplift you. Personally, I surround myself with images like the one below which was taken at Glass House Mountains, Sunshine Coast and which reminds me to feel grounded, serene and at one with nature.

Yet the quickest way to freedom – is to feel your feelings.

Quite likely you are experiencing one or a combination of the 5 emotions I help people move through this time of COV-19 – Anger, Grief, Shame, Guilt and Fear. If you are feeling any of these, allow yourself to get angry, cry, shout and scream and use whatever language allows you to feel better. Better out than in! A toddler never holds back, and right now, you don’t need to either. You have full permission to release anything you no longer want to hold on to. Online guided meditations are easy (and free) to access, so look one up that appeals to you and do one daily.

Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together. Marilyn Munroe

There are always going to be people and situations that we are unable to control or have influence over. Yet if we are able to move through the situation and emotions quickly, our stress levels are minimised. Below is a link to a FB Group that I joined which focuses on acts of kindness and each day there are positive and happy stories of people helping each other out in so many ways. I encourage you to join it to and allow yourself to feel happiness and joy during this COV-19 time.

Would you like to add some happiness to your life right now?

Here is what it is about: We set up #TheKindnessPandemic because so many people need acts of kindness right now; and so many others want to hear stories of kindness. Kindness won’t make COV-19 go away, but it will make our lives easier and more rewarding. We particularly encourage intergenerational kindness, but welcome you sharing all acts of kindness.

Here is the link to The Kindness Pandemic FB Group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/515507852491119/525402658168305/?comment_id=526555528053018&reply_comment_id=526918501350054&notif_id=1585103992565621&notif_t=group_comment_mention

 

Here are some easy ways you can include self-care in your day:

• Community – It’s vital you feel connection with people around you, even if you are isolating. Pick up the phone, put a post on social media that you’d appreciate a chat, make a Skype call or holler out to a neighbour for an over-the-fence conversation and reach out to people you know if you are feeling alone or down.
• Get outside – Even if it is for 15 minutes in the sunshine, doing some gardening, talking a brisk walk or speaking with your neighbours over the fence. Taking your shoes off and grounding into Mother Earth is particularly healing at this time
• Laugh – This is by far the easiest way to boost your mood and immune system. Whether it is a book, TV programme, YouTube or funny movie, ensure you gift yourself some laughter and joy in your day.
• Limit News Coverage – Watching the constant updates on the news or TV can be depressing to say the least. Just tune in to the regular updates that give you the information you need or have somebody who is already following it let you know the main points as they are updated.
• Meditate – Stress weakens your immune system. Please use this time at home to take up a meditation practice – google ‘guided meditations’ and you will find lots to choose from. Even 10 minutes a day will make a positive difference.
• Get Creative – Now is the time to read that book, watch that movie, do that art project, get out in the garden, clean that closet, cook some meals, paint and even getting down on the floor to join in with some kids games is a better way to spend your time than stressing over something you can’t change
• Hydration – Ensure you stay well hydrated, just as you would if you had any form of flu. Warm drinks such as green tea is filled with polyphenols to keep your immune system healthy and strong. Of course a nice glass of wine at the end of the day may help, yet to keep your liver in good shape, it may be a good idea to avoid alcohol if possible
• Keep Moving – Practice a daily HIIT home workout or something that gets your blood pumping, which helps with lymphatic drainage. Yoga has so many variations nowadays and there are many online programmes (including free ones) for you to enjoy. It’s a great way of practicing deep breathing and moving your body at the same time.
• Deep Breathing – Practice deep breathing exercises each morning and night. If you were to get a chest infection or pneumonia, you need to have the ab strength to cough up the fluid in your lungs. Walk outside in fresh air (practicing social distancing) daily. A good way is to put a song on and do 5 counts breathing in and 5 counts breathing out for the duration of the song.
• Nourishment – Even if your appetite is reduced, a soup made with lots of vegetables or a smoothie containing berries and bananas is still an easy way to get some valuable nutrients in.
• House Sanitising – For common areas such as door handles, light switches, drawers etc, 90% alcohol is helpful to apply for a thorough clean to reduce any contamination.
• Washing Food – Because the virus can be transmitted from products, if you eat raw fruits and veggies: Peel or wash them well. I recommend baking soda. Add 1 tsp of baking soda to 2 cups of water. Submerge veggies for 15 minutes and then rinse.
• Mouth Gargle – Every morning and evening, either gargle a mixture of 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp sea salt in 1 cup of warm water and spit out. Or swish 3% hydrogen peroxide around your mouth and spit out.
• Freeze Fresh Produce – You can buy fresh vegetables (broccoli, kale, green beans, etc), blanche them (submerge in boiling water for 60 seconds) and then run under cold water. And when completely cool and dry, freeze in freezer bags.
• Mushrooms – One of the most potent effects of many medicinal mushroomsis their strong antiviral and immune-enhancing properties. Several mushrooms, in fact, have been shown to be effective against preventing and treating respiratory viruses like the common cold and even the flu virus, which is impressive considering the highly infectious nature of viruses and that they are notoriously difficult to prevent and treat due to their ability to easily mutate. The 4 fungi that can help fight the cold and flu: Maitake, Shiitake, Reishi and Cordyceps mushrooms.

 

Are you holding up ok?

Are you, or have you been affected by the COV-19 issues, and just don’t know what to do? The worldwide issues with covid19 are affecting people in many different ways – financial, mental and physical. We are in unprecedented times and you may not feel as though you are coping. Please be advised that the websites listed are for reference only, and I have no ties to any of them, they are just good recommendations as per my research. If you (or somebody you know) need help, I’ve listed a few numbers and websites below, hope they help!

Here’s some numbers and websites if you need help:

1. Any kind of EMERGENCY 000 that is related to COV-19
2. The National Sexual Assault, Family & Domestic Violence Counselling Line 1800 RESPECT or 1800 737 732 https://www.1800respect.org.au/
3. salvationarmy.org.au
   13 SALVOS (13 72 58)
4. LGBT support line 1800 184 527 https://qlife.org.au/ National Centre Against Bullying https://www.ncab.org.au/get-help/
5. Kids Helpline 1800 551 800
6. Lifeline (Crisis support and suicide prevention) 13 11 14 www.lifeline.org.au
7. Grief Counselling 1300 554 786
8. Beyond Blue (Advice and support for anxiety and depression) 1300 22 4636 www.beyondblue.org.au
9. Headspace (Specialist advice and support for young people aged 12-25) 1800 650 890 www.eheadspace.org.au
10. Reachout (Helps with tough times, sex, friends and drugs) https://au.reachout.com/urgent-help
11. For help with any other issues with COV-19 please use a search engine on the internet i.e.:
12. www.Google.com.au
    www.Yahoo.com.au

Would you like some support or assistance with COV-19? If so, we can have a consultation via Skype, Facetime or Zoom.

I am here to help if you need it.

Get in touch, I’d love to hear from you, Sharon Chapman.