Ten Things You are Doing Right During this Pandemic Pandemonium

Enough of the stuff about doing more, and trying harder.  I am sure you are doing more than enough.  So here are ten things you are doing right during this pandemic pandemonium.

1. You have probably had the outburst or two or twenty.  It is okay to cry, scream, or just shut off for now. Your brain and body are doing what it needs to do, to survive this.  There is no such thing as a Superhero.
2. You are forgiving yourself for the substandard.  You cannot be a fantastic employee, parent, partner, and friend.  See above re being a Superhero.
3. You are riding the rollercoaster.  It is understandable that you will feel anxious and scared one minute, and then peaceful and even content at another time.  You are simply responding to a sudden, dramatic change to your life.
4. You are becoming aware of your triggers.  That might be the news, updates on social media, or friends constantly talking about the virus.  You can turn it off, or ask them to stop mentioning it.
5. You know what you can change, and you are making those changes.  For the unchangeable, you are radically accepting it.  This means you are letting go and accepting the new reality.
6. You are keeping things in proportion.  Yes, getting essential supplies but you aren’t being an ass and depriving the vulnerable of that because you have stockpiled enough for the next decade.
7. You are accepting that this is a brave new world where the ‘rules’ are still being created.  We have to remain connected with each other, so if you once felt a little uncomfortable with Facetime or Google Hangout, you are giving it a whirl.  And the science says that new experiences can increase the levels of dopamine (feel-good stuff), so what is there to lose?!
8. You are indulging yourself.  There is so much out there that is being offered for free (from Ivy League courses online, stories read by celebrities, to meditation and yoga classes).  Go grab it all now.  If nothing else, it is a healthy distraction.
9. You are making self-care more palatable.  Just a little bit of self-care means we have just a little bit more energy to focus on our work and family and friends.  It is not selfish, it is strategic so we can help others.
10. You are looking for kindness. Yes, there are asshole hedge funders and senators who are profiting from inside knowledge of the stock market crash, but there are plenty more kind people who are looking out for each other.  Hold onto that.

 
There has never been a greater risk of burnout, so I hope you realize how much you are already doing, and you give yourself.  Yes, there will be people who will make you feel like you need to do more, but they are probably empty soulless beasts who have nothing better to do with their time.

Go break open the box of cookies and watch another Netflix series until your eyes hurt.

And if you need any help, book a free online consultation.
 
Chris Warren-Dickins LLB MA LPC
Psychotherapist, (Licensed Professional Counselor), New Jersey (USA) and the UK
www.exploretransform.com
+1-201-779-6917
chris@exploretransform.com​