When have we, as a nation, been so challenged by a crisis that affects our daily life so much? When will we get back to our normal lives? Will we ever get back to life as we knew it before COVID-19?
These are common questions our current world prompts us to think about. I have been asking many of my ninety-something-year-old clients if in all of their years of living, have they experienced anything quite like this. Most of them say no. Many of them say that there were very tough times such as during the world wars, the Great Depression, the Spanish flu in 1918 where 50 million died worldwide, (H1N1), and more.
A Senior’s Perspective
One senior said that accepting the challenge or issue was what they did without speaking about it. She said the struggles were still there, but they were quick to accept them and do what they had to do. They did without and went on as best they could. She continued to note that they were not bombarded with details and opinions in the media like we are today. Was this generation more compliant and obedient or did they innately know that acceptance would provide them a better day to day way of coping? Was it easier to accept and move on because they did not have media invasion in their lives like we do today? There was no talk of mindfulness and stress management back then, although they had their share of stress and problems. Maybe there is something for us to learn here from them. I believe there are positives and negatives of each generation and it is important to take the positive attributes forward and see if we can learn and benefit from them.
Being Mindful of Others and Yourself
What if by being more mindful of others and our world we could make the changes we need to find balance and strength? What if by staying focused on the task at hand and the priorities for yourself, your family, and/or your important inner circle you could start to find more balance and strength? Would it be better for your health and wellbeing to not spend too much of your time watching the news or on social media?
As a health and wellness coach, I believe it may be wise to take a little break today and think about what is important to you. You can find some good options for yourself to build strength and balance. I find that assisting clients to learn the skill of mindfulness and meditation helps them to cope day to day and improve their sense of self and wellbeing. These skills can be made quite simple to practice and are worth every minute they are utilized.
Laughter Can Be Your Medicine!
And don’t forget that laughter is the best medicine. A number of research studies have proven that laughter is an effective stress reducer. Laughter releases endorphins, the bodies feel good hormones. It has also been shown that laughter lowers your level of cortisol (a stress hormone) and epinephrine (adrenaline). It is believed that laughter may also affect your dopamine and serotonin levels, which are neurotransmitters that play a role in happiness and pleasure.
So, take some time to figure out what of the suggestions detailed in this article resonate with you and develop some habits that will head you in the direction of balance, strength and resilience.