Tips on getting through a global pandemic

by | May 2, 2020 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

Our worlds have been thrown upside-down by Coronavirus. You may have more on your plate (Kids home now) or less (loss of job or less work to do at work) but either way you’re probably feeling some strange combination of feelings. Personally I’ve been feeling a homemade stew of fear, loss, and numbness with overwhelming emotion taking over at times for a little reprieve of crying spells. Currently we are all going through a trauma and where there is trauma there is difficulty with processing emotions. Unfortunately its looking like this change of life is going to keep going for a while so it’s important that we learn to live with it the best we can.

Here are some tips for each day:

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Feel your feelings and grieve losses

You’ve lost a lot throughout this pandemic and its important to recognize this loss, label your emotions and allow yourself to feel them. You may have lost your job, your time alone that you previously had with a partner now that the kids are home full time. You may have lost the joy of a baby shower, sharing your birth with your partner, sharing special moments with your family like the baby kicking. No matter what you’ve lost please give yourself the space to grieve this loss.

It is ok to feel angry or sad, you are justified in your feelings. Your loss HAS been significant and its ok to take the space to grieve it.

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Create your new normal

While we don’t know how long this pandemic will last its important to create your new normal. Especially if you have children at home already creating a routine and new normal can help them adapt to the change and allow them to get into a state of acceptance and feeling safe.

Oftentimes children cannot fully comprehend adult situations and creating a routine can benefit them and you. Create a family morning routine, taking time for gratitude and reflecting on love. Be present in your moments with family and don’t overdo watching the news. Watching too much news can take you away from your presence and into fear. Doing everyday things like taking a daily shower can re-set your mind back into the present and create a feeling or normalcy.

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Focus on what you CAN control

While experiencing trauma it can feel like you’ve lost a sense of control and it can be easy to spiral out. You may feel like treating yourself and eating everything in sight. Keeping a handle on your health, eating healthy, sleeping enough, moving your body & staying hydrated are all still within your control. If you’re pregnant these are also all things that will benefit your baby. Keeping in mind that your baby’s health is still within your control and focusing on those thing which you can control can help you keep a sense of calm to carry on.
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Take time each day for gratitude

During a pandemic it can be easy to get caught up in the doom and gloom but it can also put things into great perspective and reflect things to be grateful for. Often times there are many people who have it worse off and reflecting on having access to a home, clean water, family, these are all blessings which not everyone has. Finding what you have that others may not and reflecting and meditating on these can put you in a positive mind of gratitude that will allow you to feel love.
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Challenge your negative thoughts and re-frame them

It can be easy to let your fears and negative thoughts get the best of you if you’re pregnant or have children during a global pandemic. Thoughts that you or your children are going to get sick and even die can be going through your head. Instead of allowing your mind to take control try to think of the things that you do have control over to try to prevent your family getting sick and focusing in on these.

What can you do to reduce your risk of you and your family getting sick? Can you order groceries to be delivered to the home or so curbside pickup so that you don’t have to go to the grocery store? Can you limit your exposure outside in areas you know will be busy with other people?

If you or your family does get sick, could it be just a cold, could it be that you will recover and be fine. Challenge your thoughts because typically life is not all black and white and chances are the outcome will not be worst case scenario.

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