Another Lockdown? Another Article On How I'm Keeping Healthy In Mind, Body, Soul + Spirit

 

The above picture was taken while I was lounging on a beach in Tenerife over four years ago. In all my life, I'd never known such peace and stillness. Whether it was because of the serene blue skies, the mountainous landscapes and/or the general easy-going spirit of those that live there, the Island was imbued with a tranquil mood that I find myself itching to grab onto every day. Or more precisely, I find myself aching and yearning and pleading to go back to the Island.

My sister asked me how I was the other day; not the surface-level 'how are you?' where you would simply respond, 'I'm good thanks!' but the 'how are you?' where they want to really know how you're doing underneath the façade.

There's a lot going on in the world, Lord knows everyone knows, and I try my hardest to search for the little glimmers of joy when and where I can. I really do. But if there's not one heart-breaking thing I'm reading about, it's something else. And if it's not that, it's something else. And if it's not that, it's something else which leads to something else which leads to something else, something else. 
 I've found myself sometimes not wanting to check in with myself and really see how I'm doing because I know if I do, something inside me will probably break. 

So, how do I deal with it? 

Well, I dedicate time to make sure that I'm focusing on my mindfulness and my wellbeing.

It sounds pretty simple and straightforward, but when you're tired, feeling a little hopeless, and are overwhelmed with everything that's going on with another lockdown, Covid-19, the corrupt UK government, illness in the family, friends who are suffering, unstable job income and concerning global news, just to list a few, you, or at least I find, don't have the energy. I feel consumed by weariness and would much rather just take a large sleeping pill or go into cryosleep and wake up when all of this mess is over.

But I've found that putting aside one hour a day to focus on strengthening my mind, body, soul and spirit has really made a difference. Here are the things that I do:


1) Spend Time with God

Nothing anchors my drifting spirit like God does. Reading the Bible, if only for twenty minutes, really helps to remind me of God's omnipresence; I feel comforted, remembering that God is literally right by my side, every minute of every day, through this pandemic season. 

Reading the Bible also helps me to remember the omniscience of God; God's knowledge is total, so God knows when this time and season that we're in will end. I don't. So what I find myself praying for is for God to give me strength for the day. The Bible verse Matthew 6:34 is the perfect word for this lockdown and pandemic season: 'So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today.' Focus on today and give today your all. Don't use up today's energy on tomorrow which hasn't even come yet. My joy and peace is stolen when I use my energy today being anxious over the next day and I don't want to live that way. Leave tomorrow until tomorrow - it's a beautifully simple piece of guidance that can change everything. 

One of my favourite quotes (it's not a Biblical one, but the message is similar to the Bible verse above): Be Where Your Feet Are. It means that wherever your feet are, whether they're in your bed, on the living room couch, walking outside, be there with them. It's a reminder to be present and stay present.

Another thing I've found that I've been praying to God for is to prepare my soul, spirit and mind for what is to come; to strengthen me so that I won't be caught too off-guard by unknown things around the corner, and to heal my soul and spirit of all the wounds from the last almost year. Every time I finish a Bible Study session, I come out renewed, refreshed, hopeful and strengthened.


2) Meditation

I find that the times that I spend closing my eyes and listening to guided meditations, I come out of the session with feelings of relaxation and contentment; my anxiety decreases; I'm more self-aware; I feel more emotionally balanced; and I always leave with fresh perspectives on situations. Meditation is something that I have to do - it's not a suggestion. I think that once you've found a practice or hobby that your spirit connects with and that helps your spirit flourish, you need to continue and press into it. Have you ever come across something that you never knew you needed? I felt that way when I started meditating, almost as though my spirit had been cheated in a way for so many years of something that was always around but I didn't know that I specifically needed. 

Meditation  doesn't necessarily have to be guided; it can be breathing meditations or just quiet time for yourself where you do absolutely nothing for ten minutes each day.


3) Writing

I genuinely don't think earthly words could describe my love of and for writing. I'm humbled that I've found my life's purpose - being a writer - , that every day that I wake up, I feel blessed because I have another opportunity to write, and that it's something in which I find bliss; catharsis; joy; peace; healing; hope; connection; escape; entertainment; and my most favourite, the expanding of my imagination.

Maybe this season is a time for you to figure out what it is you actually want to do in life. Something you can wake up to in excitement for. 

Maybe you need to sit down and re-examine your goals and your dreams. Maybe this is your time to give them a shot.

Having a chance to reset doesn't come very often; maybe this is your time to find your life's purpose.


4) Hula-Hooping

This is very random, I know, but I love to hula hoop! I used to hula hoop all the time when I was much younger but it wasn't until recently when my sister started doing it - she's absolutely fantastic - that I wanted to give it a go. Also, working my abs and waist at the same time in such a fun way seemed like a win-win! I bought myself a weighted hula hoop a few weeks back and now find that I itch to hula hoop, even when my sides are a little sore from hula hooping for over ten minutes straight. I've been hula hooping to Linkin Park, old Christmas songs, Friendly Fires and Beyoncé and honestly have been having the time of my life. I'm pretty sure with my hula hooping prowess I'm a few steps closer to one of my old dreams of joining the circus.

Find a hobby that helps you smile. Creative, physical, it doesn't matter. Try something you never thought of doing, like making candles from scratch! But find something that brings you joy.


5) Checking In On Friends

Sometimes, and maybe you can relate, I find that when I go through something I tend to suffer alone and in silence - it's still something I'm working on, but I'm definitely getting better - and I tend to feel more isolated (I spoke a more about it here).

We're all in this strange and absurd season together and I can say confidently, this is not a season in which anyone should feel or be isolated.

It might be the smallest thing, but I've realised that in some ways even though what my friends and I are going through may be totally different, in some areas we are struggling. Some may be financially because they've lost their job and are struggling to find a new one; some may be financially again but because they've been reduced to part-time hours; some may be mentally because of the on-and-off lockdowns - but in a way, we're struggling. I've found that talking and sharing the struggles I'm currently dealing with with my friends and vice versa has helped strengthen the bonds that I have with them. We're able to talk about our concerns freely and know that we're not alone, and that we'll do everything and anything we can to support one another. Remembering that you're not alone and that you have people who truly cherish and love you and that you have a support group helps you thrive.

Check in on your friends and see how they're really doing and feeling. Chances are they'll need you in some way or another and you'll need them.

The only way this works however, that I manage to feel okay during this perplexing season, is if I don't slack in any of these areas. Some days are more difficult than others, but I have to commit to doing these things every day. I have to commit to dedicating time each day in order to have a healthy mindset and wellbeing. I have to commit to wanting to be healthy in mind, body, soul and spirit every day. If I slip, it's okay, but I need to get back up again, even when I don't feel like it. I've found that if I miss one day, I begin to make excuses for not doing any of them the next day until one week has passed and I feel unmotivated, anxious, a little lost, and overwhelmed.

So instead of dreaming of better times in the past or a better world somewhere else, by my sticking to what I've found works and helps me to thrive in the midst of all of this chaos, I'm instead preparing myself physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally for (hopefully) better days - one day at a time, of course. Living in the past is incredibly unhealthy and makes one feel disdain for the present - the present isn't going anywhere, so instead we need to find small ways of getting through right now.

I guess I should be grateful; this then leaves me to smile when I see the above picture because it's a beautiful memory of a wonderful holiday and not for any other reason except that.


☾

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