“What a long, strange trip it’s been.”
–The Grateful Dead song “Truckin”
We keep going on through this uncertain time facing inconveniences and obstacles and acting as if life is the same as it ever was. And it’s not. Wearing face masks and experiencing “maskne” (acne outbreaks from mask wearing) or just the low-level annoyance that repeated mask wearing creates, a pervasive sense of germaphobia, or the knowledge of knowing someone who has gotten Covid with all the symptoms and after effects, all help to heighten our collective sense of dread and the “when will this ever end?” feeling.
Coupling this phenomenon with the upcoming elections and holidays makes us yearn for our old garden-variety problems of last year at this time! We are all walking through the great unknown together via Zoom and separately-in isolation.
These are the issues that we are all and each facing daily. We can sum it up by naming them fear and anxiety.
What to do about it?
I recently had the good fortune to listen to a Zoom lecture by Dr. Carol Cole, psycho-spiritual counselor, (drcarolcole.com). Carol gave me her permission to share this with you. I encourage everyone to contact her if you feel the need to chat further.
Carol labeled these two perceptions (fear and anxiety) and discussed ways to deal with them.
Fear is focused on threats in the present moment. We can choose our perceptions. Fear is a collapsing energy. It is a low vibration. You know the responses–fight, flight or freeze.
Anxiety is a focus on the future. Anxiety is a shake up energy. It is a good energy to get things going. It is a higher vibration than fear. Uncontrollable anxiety leads to a sense of helplessness and a perception of lack of control. When faced with unpredictable experiences of anxiety, it can lead to panic. When we notice that it is time to take action and decide what truly needs to get done, it helps us to cope more effectively.
Stress is our response to a perceived threat..
Emotions are signals. What are they saying? Have this inner-dialogue with yourself and decide what you want to do next with these feeling-generating emotions.
Solutions to Aid with Fear and Anxiety
Get Physical
Movement is essential in healing with anxiety. Dance, walk, break sticks while walking.
Schedule physical activity.
Or try soothing movements-slow down everyday rituals with deliberate, thoughtful motion. Make your morning tea or coffee with precise, slow-motion steps.
Touch, cuddle, massage your scalp, put your arms around yourself and rock yourself. Humming is encouraged.
Breathe-with your hand on your heart, take slow, easy breaths. Take your time.
Alternate nostril breathing. (Cover one nostril while inhaling from the other. Switch sides and exhale from the other. Switch.) Do this for 2 minutes. This is incredibly relaxing.
Take a bath with a bath fizzie or Epsom salts.
Use essential oil inhalers or diffusion or many of the blends for emotional support.
Use stones to keep yourself grounded.
Mental Grounding
Remember that your thoughts have a vibrational frequency. What you are thinking about affects your vibration.
Change your focus. Think about something different.
Make lists of your favorite books, movies, dogs, jokes, vacations, museums.
Create your own “Safety Anchors”. My name is ______. I am safe. I have everything I need in this moment. All is well. Breathe while doing this. Repeat as needed.
Routines help us ground.
Use a word journal to get rid of all those words stuck up in your head. Get agitation and irritation on the page and release them.
Focus on what you can do and what you have done. Give yourself credit for it!
Use humor.
Play word games.
Use all your 5 senses to notice things.
Visualize the best case scenario. Start small and then go global!
Be curious about your internal dialogue. Is it true? (Check out the work of Byron Katie for more on this).
Focus on non-violent communication. (google this).
Be in the moments of both and (not either or). I am both exhausted and energized/concerned and happy.
Look for certainty. Look up to the stars. View the constellations, the moon. Anchor it in.
Pre-decide your point of view. I will be________(kind, confident, understanding, speak my mind without violence, etc.) during this meeting.
Spiritually
Be in gratitude for all the gifts in your life. Big and small.
Ask for help when you need it.
Create and use good boundaries. When declining, try this-you wouldn’t want me at this time because I wouldn’t be any good!
We may not know what the future will look like, but we can decide how we will respond.
Help someone else. Be the Calm in Chaos that you desire.
There is faith, hope and love. The greatest of these is love. Show up in love.
Self-Care with a Twist
In honor of Halloween, we created Charcoal Black Message in a Bubble Bath Fizzies. Made with activated charcoal (from coconut shells), these fizzies are filled with clarifying, pure, authentic, organic essential oils of lemon thyme, sage and lavender with organic rosehip oil to clear out the cobwebs while softening your skin. After a tub scrub, a shower and a good night’s sleep, I felt great the whole next day with solid energy and a sense of calm. Don’t worry, the black charcoal comes off easily with soap and water on you and your bathtub!
From now until November 4, 2020, an organic Charcoal Black Message in a Bubble bath fizzie is complimentary with your $40 purchase.
Emotional Support
Now is the time to pay attention to supporting yourself emotionally. Use inhalers daily. Keep a few of them around the house, in your pocket or handbag. Inhale often. I love the Uplifting, Bliss or Mental Focus inhalers and use them regularly.
In closing, please know that if I can answer any questions for you, please reach out. Take care of yourself and your dear ones.
And vote!
Sincerely,
