Looking after yourself
Things you can do
- Be in nature and observe life, maybe spend time with a particular tree and enter a regular conversation with it.
- Stay present to what you’re feeling – your emotions are probably changing on an hourly basis; observe them, be curious about what’s triggering them.
- Celebrate the wins for the planet as a consequence of this de-growth period. Join in its relief and spend some time hanging out with some beautiful sea and land creatures. We are part of nature, after all.
- Plant seeds and grow a garden (even if it’s pots on the balcony, or inside).
- Cook using ingredients which look after you (that is, immune-boosting, health-enhancing superfoods)! And embrace the opportunity to spend time in the kitchen. (Look here for fabulous dinner suggestions).
- Create a routine for your day. Include break times, walks, coffee chats with loved ones via Zoom.
- Snuggle up on the sofa for these comfort viewings!
- Get into all those books you’ve been intending to read (or get some inspiration). You can grow your home library too – order books from local bookstores, many bookshops are offering free delivery to surrounding areas.
- Buy food from local businesses and grocery stores.
- Know that through these few things, you can care for you community, too.
Meditation and Exercise
- A bit of help to make some head and heart space is very welcome during stressful times – try these free meditation offerings from the team behind Calm meditation app.
- And/or tune in at 8am to A-Space‘s half hour morning meditation.
- Yoga is bliss and relief. Get into some stretching, strength and breath with these wonderful online practices from Estuary Yoga Studio. Give back a little too if you can.
Articles to Bring Calm
- A New Yorker essay in praise of phone calls and the human voice
- 10 Ways to Ease your Coronavirus Anxiety from the New York Times
- An interview on how anxiety is a contagion from Mindful magazine
- The Chronicle of Higher Education on staving off the pressure of COVID19 productivity
Podcasts for Wisdom
- The legends at This Jungian Life podcast have a brilliant episode ‘Facing the Fear of Coronavirus’ – if you’re not already onto them, enjoy devouring their entire back catalogue (you’re welcome).
- Brené Brown just released a podcast, Unlocking Us!
- Please do yourselves a favour and get onto the On Being Project – with their enlightening conversations, poetry readings and generally wise anecdotes, your day will look brighter, instantly.
- And, there’s lots of rich content from The Future is Beautiful and Emergence Magazine Podcast for re-connecting with hope