In life, there are so many situations we can allude to in which we live in the realm of fear, doubt, and negativity. Navigating through this pandemic has posed a definite threat to our mental, emotional, physical, spiritual, and financial well-being. I believe five of the most critical attributes in overcoming the battles that challenge our day-to-day norms are resilience, perseverance, care for each other, optimism, and faith. Even with the best plans and the best intentions, we have learned that we must expect the unexpected and understand that we are more resilient than led to believe, individually and collectively.
Yes, we need to know and understand what's going on around us – globally and locally – to mentally process and navigate life as we've been accustomed. But, pandemic or not, we need to take care of the amount of negative talk or the disenchanting news we absorb in a day. It's a difficult balance to strike in the best of times, let alone in times of great anguish and fear like we're now experiencing.
Breathe easy; we cannot allow ourselves to be emotionally or mentally paralyzed by our thoughts because this will only prevent us from achieving our life goals.
You know what your daily challenges are, and the ability to cope and be resilient for yourselves and those around you is paramount. Still, it would help if you prioritized your overall health and well-being above all else; otherwise, we cease to be productive, engaging, empathetic, forgiving and flexible.
"As bad as things may seem, there is always a lesson to learn and strength to be garnered within it."
Consider this:
Sometimes, do you feel emotionally off and inconsistent?
That is because your brain doesn't know what to prepare for next. There may be uncertainty, fear of the unknown, and your brain is merely waiting for precise positive vibrations. Write yourself a list of 10 positive things about you or your life, even one thing will do, and think about how grateful you are.
Do you get tired easily?
That is because your brain is burning your energy faster than it usually does, in that perpetual state of fight or flight. Spend some time walking, relax to music, play a game, or practicing meditation can help here.
Do you sometimes have a hard time staying focused?
To protect you, your brain has temporarily shut down some functionality in the prefrontal cortex – the part of the brain responsible for complex thinking and planning. Your brain is merely trying to help you survive - it's a perfectly normal stress response. Again, switch up your routine, do something different, write yourself a gratitude letter, or go to sleep - time to heal.
Do you ever feel creatively blocked?
Your brain is temporarily diverting all its creativity - the ability to problem-solve to simply keep you alive. Amazing, isn't it? Your brain is in a sort of slow-burn, fight, or flight state, trying to keep you focused and resilient. Practice writing and repeating your best affirmation. Envision the feeling you'll have when your goal finally comes to fruition.
Do you sometimes suddenly feel like you do not care about anything?
It's hard to care about goals and plans when you don't know what's coming next. I understand that. We always appear to be in a continually evolving situation, and whether it's work-related, relationship, planning our best life, dreaming of the perfect vacation, your feelings of ambivalence about those things now is your brain's way of coping. Your brain knows that being short-sighted is the safest way
to survive in the moment. Remember, we have the control to make changes that allow the positives in us to shine. In essence, we control our thoughts that influence our dreams and aspirations – yes, even during a global pandemic.
This pandemic is not a race, it's a marathon, and we must take care of ourselves – mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually, and financially – to make it to the finish line. Breathe easy and be assured, we will make it to that fruitful finish because we're all in this together.
About The Author - Maxine Mclean Ph.D., Doctor of Integrative Medicine, A Homeopathic Doctor, Author, Metaphysical Healer, Humanitarian, the founder of Gratitude Keeper®. Health-Coach-Speaker, Meditation Healing Facilitator-Educator, and Creative Entrepreneur.
Blue seal Award – Writing, Canada’s 100 Black women to honor 2019. Eminence Award 2019.
“I’m encouraged to connect, inspire and positively impact other peoples lives to help them rise.” – Maxine McLean Ph.D.