We have made it to the homestretch of 2020! What a wild year it has been. One certainly filled with personal challenges, global and local challenges, as well as devastating natural disasters. In addition to those, I would be remiss to not address some of the physical/mental challenges that have affected all of us during this time. How many readers have caught themselves going down the Instagram rabbit hole? Comparing your life to someone else’s or comparing your body and food choices to that of your favorite influencers? I am here to tell you, you are not alone! We all have done it. The question is how do we rebound? How do we get out of the funk once we are in it? It is hard to rely on movement alone when we are supposed to be at home sheltering in place or stuck at home due to poor air quality. I have struggled with this as I bet a lot of you have. How do you cope, when your favorite coping mechanism is taken away? Here are some strategies that I have found to be helpful:
Call a friend- Seems like a no-brainer, but I have a hard time opening up and sharing with others, especially when not in person, but if there is one lesson I have learned during quarantine is that no one can read your mind. Reach out to a friend, a co-worker, a loved one when you are feeling down and out. That conversation may be what turns your day around!
Commit to 10 min of movement every day- Everyone can commit to 10min of stretching, walking, doing lunges or squats at home. You don’t need a lot of space, and you don’t even need to go outside! If you are looking for some tips, check out my youtube page for ideas on core workouts, and stretches to help you combat tech neck!
Try something new- When is the last time you picked up a new hobby, tried a new sport, or cooked a new recipe? I have found that trying things that are normally very outside of my comfort zone (for me things that are creative dominant) have provided countless hours of distraction and have helped me turn a bad mood around. Learning a new skill requires mental focus, curiosity, and can lead to great satisfaction when you achieve something that you previously thought was unattainable.
What skills or strategies have you found helpful for the times when you are heading down the rabbit hole? Please share, I would love to know!
