Coping with COVID-19: Tips for Resilience and Personal Growth
This article by Lisa Rosen, MSW, LCSW, CADC III was originally published in issue nine of Bend Health Guide.
In life and in my practice, I have been reminded over and over again that there is a quiet beauty in new lessons, even the painful ones. The ability to practice small acts of self- care fosters resilience and can change our whole perspective. These days, it seems that one of the most important things we can do, for ourselves and each other, is to acknowledge that this virus has changed things and made many of us feel a little bit off kilter.
At Drishti, we are talking a lot about isolation, financial worry, loneliness, and increased anxiety. At the same time, we are also having inspiring and remarkable conversations about personal change, motivation, and learning to appreciate the small gifts.
Here are a few quick tips from us to you to help you move toward your best life... even during a pandemic:
GET OUTSIDE AT LEAST ONCE A DAY. Walk. Run. Bike. Move for 30 minutes or more... and wear your mask.
PHYSICAL DISTANCING DOESN’T HAVE TO MEAN SOCIAL ISOLATION. Get on the phone or Facetime, join a video chat or community support meeting. With a few clicks of the keyboard, you can learn how to make homemade pasta from a master chef or become an amateur cinematographer. We are all in this together.
PRACTICE BEING IN THE HERE AND NOW AND ACKNOWLEDGING THAT FEELINGS CHANGE. If you wake up and feel down or anxious, do something to try to shift that emotion. Journaling, keeping a gratitude journal, exercise, and companionship have all been proven to be effective in shifting perspectives.
PRACTICE A NEW HOBBY: write, draw, read, cook, paddleboard, ride a mountain bike, meditate. Simple activities like dancing, reading fiction, creating artwork and even sleeping promote neuroplasticity in adults. So, try new things or reacquaint yourself with old experiences, it may actually help your brain adapt to this new and changing platform.
MAKE A LIST OF 3 GOALS. THE MORE SPECIFIC THE BETTER. Think about goals that you can accomplish in the next few months and ask yourself: how will I know I have accomplished this? For example, instead of the goal of completing a 5k, your goal might be: run/walk three times a week for 30 minutes for the next 4 weeks.
IDENTIFY YOUR STRENGTHS. Make a list of the first strengths that come to your mind. Challenge yourself by asking: how can I use these strengths to overcome one thing that feels hard for me right now? Try it for a week.
SHOW GRATITUDE AND BE KIND TO YOURSELF AND OTHERS - it promotes positive thinking in recipients and those who witness it. Pay it forward with a coffee or hang a sign of support from your front window. Did I mention we are all in this together?
TALK TO SOMEONE. We offer individual and group therapy, confidential and individualized substance use and DUII treatment, as well as yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and Y12SR to support you in moving toward your best life.
SOURCES:
positivepsychology.com
thriveglobal.com
hsph.harvard.edu
greatergood.berkeley.edu