For many people it’s real. It’s here. And it’s right now. Everything can feel that little bit too hard. Too much. You are trying to hold it all together but feeling like everything is falling apart at the same time. Trying to do everything, but feeling like you just can’t get on top.
The work load is overwhelming, the children’s schooling a challenge. Finances may be strained. Relationships challenged. Life in a whole just seems so uncertain. The overwhelm is overwhelming.
You are feeling weary, frustrated, anxious, exhausted and emotional. ‘When will this end‘. ‘How long can this go on for?.‘ ‘Surely it has to let up soon… surely?’ You almost pray to anyone out there that is listening. You know it’s not sustainable, but you don’t know how to make a shift.
If this is you. Know I feel you. Understand that I hear you. Life for some is tough right now. The situation we all find ourselves in is tough. But I know that YOU are strong. And I know that we, as a community will all come through the other side. And I honestly feel we will come out stronger, more resilient, tolerable and able.
But while we are all living in the middle of it, it’s important to remember that your health and your mental and emotional well-being is still being made a priority. YOU are number one. If you don’t have your health, what else do you have? So make time. Learn to say no. And find something to be grateful for….
- It’s ok to not be ok. Know that your feelings and emotions are real. Allow yourself to grieve, to let out your frustrations, to cry it out, to be angry, but once you have given yourself that, gather yourself and refocus. Get yourself back on track and keep moving forward.
. - Say no. You have the right to say no. It is your life. It is your health. So keep the communication lines open with work, with family, with loved ones. And know that it is ok to say no sometimes.
. - Make time. For your own physical and mental health. I can’t stress enough how important this is – especially in high stress situations many of us find ourselves in. Whether that be extra workload. Or no work at all. Home schooling the kids. Or having to close or reposition your business, put off staff. Not knowing how you are going to pay the bills, or pay someone else. It is all stress and you need your own stress relief. For many of us that is in the form of exercise. It doesn’t mean having to spend hours training, it could be as simple as walking around the block. Spending 10min mindfully, reading a book, taking a bath, … you choose. But make it a priority. For your mental, emotional and physical sake. Yes there will be some days that everything else comes first, but if you look at your week as a whole, there HAS to be time in there for you. Whatever form that takes.
. - Don’t feel guilty. Don’t ever feel guilty for making your mental, physical or emotional health a priority. So if you need to tell your hubby/wife/partner to watch the kids while you go for a run for you. Then do it. But don’t feel guilty for asking. If you need to set yourself a ‘meeting’ during the day so you can get out and get some fresh air. By all means do it. You have permission to look after yourself. So never feel guilty.
. - Find something to be grateful for. Your health. Having a job in these challenging times. Your children. A loving family. Friends… if you look, there is so much to be grateful for. Sometimes we just have to stop and remind ourselves or look a little harder. But there is always something to be grateful for.
. - Seek help / support. You don’t HAVE to do it alone. You don’t have to try and do everything. Be everywhere. So don’t try to. If it means your children watch TV for the morning while you work. That’s ok. If it means ordering a meal service, or asking family / friends for some home cooked meals, then do it. Delegate, reposition, or simple let some things go. Know that you can do ANYthing, but not EVERYthing.
. - Stay connected. Staying connected now is more important than ever. If you are an athlete who used to love training by yourself as that was your alone time, training solo may make you feel even more isolated right now. So stay connected to your training buddies, to your training squad, to your friends / family. Organise or join in on a virtual training meet up, catch up with your friends and family online. Staying connected is important to keep some reality and some normalcy in such times we find ourselves in.
. - Use this as an opportunity. Instead of seeing the situation you are in as a burden, try and shift your thoughts and see this time as an opportunity. An opportunity to become more efficient. To re-plan. To change. To make a shift. If there has been something you have wanted to do, or change, then use this as a driving force. Sometimes the biggest changes can happen during a crisis but it may just be the catalyst needed to make that shift you didn’t even know you needed.
The theme here with all these points is to LOOK AFTER YOURSELF. Get support if you need support, take a moment for yourself, as we all need it and stay connected. It is a trying time for so many, look after yourself, and check in on others. Even those who seem they may have it all together may just be treading water, bobbing between floating and sinking…