LIVING IN THE MOMENT
COVID-19 has changed the way we all live our lives and we have to make adjustment to what our daily routine looks like. Many of us are working from home or having social distancing protocols put in place at work, and we are spending more time at home, either on our own or with our families. Activities that used to require very little thought or effort, now require much more planning (e.g. going to the grocery store). Even going for a walk can induce feelings of stress and anxiety. I’m not a huge proponent for finding the “silver lining” and I’ll be honest, overly positive attitudes can feel draining, that being said I think there can be lessons that we are able to take away from this difficult period. I have spoken about mindfulness plenty of times in the past, and during this pandemic using mindfulness can help us get through difficult days and not get caught up in our worried thoughts. The research on mindfulness has shown us time and time again the mindfulness can help to reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression.
Living in the moment or mindfulness helps our brain stay grounded so that we are not hijacked by the emotional parts of the brain and can engage in the more balanced and wise thinking. Your mindfulness practice doesn’t need to be complicated. Bring it back to the basics and taking time to focus on the present, be intentional in your actions, and be aware of how you are feeling. Remembering that you are not your thoughts and they are just something to be observed for what they are as they occur.
The more you practice, the more skilled you will become at connecting with the present. Try to limit multi-tasking during the day and focus on one task at a time, really taking in the experience. Sure you could fold the laundry, watch a television show, and text your friends all at the same time, however that stretches your attention and takes away from how present you can be. You may not notice your stress levels rising, or the underlying sadness because your so caught up in all the tasks your are doing. Rather slow down, do one thing at a time, attending to and making space for every thought and feeling that arises. You may find that those thoughts and feelings pass with more ease when you notice them in the moment and that by the end of the day your levels of stress have decreased compared to other days where you did not give them the attention they needed.
