First, acknowledge your uncertainty and fear. Consider fear as a cycle of energy you can move, rather than a static place to remain. Here are some self-care suggestions to cycle out the fear and self-regulate your nervous system. In other words, return to calm.
- Move. Exercise, walk, dance, shake, sing, shout, run the energy through the cycle.
- Whatever your daily spiritual practices are, commit to them more deeply. Do it.
- Be still—seated, lying down, or standing. Now take deep belly breaths. Inhaling I notice all my worry and confusion inside and outside. Exhaling I trust that all is as it should be, and I am present. Do this anywhere you need—at home or work, in line at the store, driving the car….
- Get outside and move in some fresh air.
- Do the microcosmic orbit breath—follow me here.
- When you are caught in a mental loop of worry, change what you are physically doing.
- Ration your news. Know when you’ve had enough and for heaven’s sake do something else.
- Attend to beauty. There is much much more in the world than a disease.
- Attend to gratitude. When you wake, any time when the opportunity arrives, and before you fall asleep.
- Boost your immune system: garlic, vitamins D and C, arrowleaf balsam root, medicinal mushrooms, elderberry, chaga…. Read more suggestions here in this comprehensive article. Pick something and commit.
- Eat your best diet ever and drink a lot of water. Freeze some homemade soup…just in case.
- Make decisions from knowledge rather than worry, fear, or ego. For example: I didn’t want to cancel events at CUB because a. we would miss income to support costs (worry) b. we aren’t fulfilling our mission of creating community (ego concern). I had to see this and make a decision from knowledge (experts say Stay Home) and a value of supporting community (stay home to slow the disease curve).
- Stream or load some comedies.
- Listen to music that fills your heart.
- When you feel strong enough, reach out in the community to help others. Be creative about this.
- Resign yourself more deeply to staying home. Muster up energy for long overdue home projects. Start the ones you’ve been putting off.
- Call friends, especially the ones in nursing homes—they are truly isolated now.
- Allow the medicine and blessings of this time. This will take time and patience.
We are being called to Inhabit a Finest Hour. Let’s do this with common sense, compassion, and grace.