As 2020 continues to test our emotional resilience, finding respite from the loneliness, anxiety, fear, uncertainty, guilt, and grief that overwhelms us on a daily basis may seem impossible. However, taking steps to preserve our sanity is proving to be more important now than ever before.
Our first approach to finding peace in chaos, may be to distract ourselves with a slew of activities— increased time on social media, online shopping, working out at home, baking, etc. And while those seem to do the trick in the short term, they often quickly lose their appeal and we’re left with searching once again. So, what if we took a different approach? Instead of distracting ourselves from the present, what if we immersed ourselves in it?
As defined by the Mayo Clinic, mindfulness is a form of meditation in which you focus on being intensely aware of what you’re sensing and feeling in the moment, without interpretation or judgment. While this may seem at first look to be contrary to our end goal—relief—the practice of mindfulness has been proven to provide us with just that.
Popular podcast host and mindfulness and meditation coach, Felipe Muñoz of Empathic Practice, a wellness clinic in Florida, shares some of his tips on how we can elevate ourselves during this stressful and unprecedented time.
- Mindfulness: Acknowledge what is happening in front of you that you can accept and realize the items that you can change.
- Perspective of Hope: Ask yourself “Can I change my perspective, my persistence and my patience?”
- Gratitude: Reflect on what you are grateful for each day.
- Building resilience – You are your greatest cheerleader and advocate! Remind yourself of your successes of the day. Be open and honest to yourself. Believe in yourself and keep your expectations realistic.
To view some of Felipe’s guided meditation, visit links: Meditation on Moving Through Loneliness and Angst, Anger, Anxiety, and Awakening
As we face a future that is shrouded in uncertainty, our emotional wellbeing should be our first priority. The first step is to equip ourselves with the tools we need to support us in times of upheaval and the benefit isn’t only personal, it also allows us to serve as an example for the others around us.
People who are facing a suicidal crisis or emotional distress can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-8255. More than 100 local crisis centers are a part of a national network working on this lifeline and are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.