Photo by Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash
We’re all in this together. Those long days spent inside, staring at the same four walls. The days seem to melt into one another without any significant marker of time. Now, more than ever, it is important to take care of your body and mind, so that your spirits stay lifted. Here are three things that we have found helpful during this time.
Start With Waves
Some of you may have had to cancel spring breaks or long weekends away. While this is a huge bummer, there are ways to go to the beach without literally stepping on sand. Creating a relaxing outdoor experience is a good place to start. You can achieve this by engaging the senses. Start with your ears. The sound of waves helps to create the beach experience. There are many versions available online, and we favor this one. Go ahead and try it, what do you have to lose?
Next the Vitamin D
Next, grab a lawn chair and head outside. This can be on the patio, stoop, in the yard, or at the park (as long as you stay 6 ft. apart). Position yourself in the sun, sunglasses on, and pop those headphones in. Do you hear the sound of the ocean?
While outside, catch up on gossip stories or read your favorite novel. Anything but the news. Give your mind a break from the stress of COVID-19 related stories.
While seated, try deepening your self care time with some acupressure exercises. Did you know that Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that our body has rivers of energy (chi) that flow constantly, promoting health and healing? When these ‘rivers’, or meridians, become blocked due to stressors like anxiety and/or depression, our energy cannot move. That leads to any number of illnesses, “including various aches, pains, and spasms.” With acupressure therapy, you can target, engage, and relieve specific meridian pathways, reducing any discomfort.” Try something like the Kanjo Coconut Acupressure Mat to help reopen some of these meridians. For a DIY option, try the good old tennis ball option. This video from Popsugar will walk you through it.
Now the Gratitude
This can be simple. As you close your eyes and absorb the sun, think of all the things you are thankful for. For the sun, for your health, for the solitude, for slowing down, for the peaceful music. You can make a mental list of all of the things that are abundant in your life. If you prefer, you can jot them down on a peice of paper. We find it helpful to post these in heavily trafficked areas like the bathroom mirror, or by the front door. They give us a daily reminder of all the things in life that are going right.
Gratitude feels great in the moment, but it can also have lasting effects. People who show gratitude tend to have better sleep, improved self esteem, and better physical health (Psychology Today). I don’t know about you guys, but we will take it.