Starting your day off focused on things you enjoy, and what you want to achieve, can reduce the stress that can sometimes occur first thing. Aim to spend a few moments each morning focused on what you want your day to look like. Imagining a positive outcome can assist in this actually occurring. So aim to start your day considering what you are looking forward to and practicing self-care first thing.
We all experience around 6000 thoughts per day. That’s a lot of thinking within one waking period! That being said, sometimes these thoughts get stuck in your mind, almost as if they are a song with an error that keeps playing the same five seconds of the song, or a television show that’s frozen on one particular scene. Often the thoughts that tend to get stuck and cycle like this, are associated with negative emotions such as worry about various topics such as completing tasks, perceptions others may have of us, or something we are worried we may have forgotten.
As the pandemic has raged on, various communities have experienced struggles in our country and others, political tension has risen, and other nations have experienced hardships, the uncertainty and unpredictability of things can lead to feeling many symptoms of anxiety.
While many have established strategies to cope with some of the above factors, like wearing masks, the emotional toll these events have taken on us is large. The way we handle the difficult emotions that have developed as a result of this time period is important, as they can continue to negatively impact ourselves and others.
Losses of loved ones, losses of jobs, relationships ending, lack of being able to see our loved ones, and more, all have a significant impact on us. When experiencing a loss of any kind it’s normal to experience a variety of emotions including guilt, anger, fear, and shock. There are coping strategies to care for yourself as you process loss and feelings of grief, in addition to seeking support from friends, family, and maybe even a therapist. Seeking some strategies to assist in coping with the process of grief as we transition to a new period, here are a few:
The benefits of getting enough sleep HUGE! Increased energy and concentration, improved mood, and cognitive impairments are among some of the emotional wellness benefits. Additionally, there are many physical health benefits, including boosting your immunity, maintaining physical health such as a healthy weight, and reducing risk of chronic conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes. With May being Better Sleep Month, we wanted to give you a few tips on maximizing your sleep, to ensure you’re benefiting both your physical and mental health.
How do we develop compassion? There are a few ways. Try to schedule time to implement self-compassion each week. Once a day, every few days, tailor a schedule that works best for you and dedicate a few moments to note these stressors and diligently preclude self-admonishment with self-kindness. Then increase the time periods in your compassion calendar to include these measures of mindfulness.
We hear a lot about the importance of forgiving those who have harmed us, but what about forgiving ourselves? Is that important as well? Absolutely. When we hurt others, we experience regret and apologize, hoping to make amends. However, we often beat ourselves up for mistakes and develop negative thoughts about ourselves because of it. Within these experiences come feelings of shame and guilt; while these feelings are similar and can occur in tandem with one another, they are slightly different. Self-forgiveness is one way to reduce feelings of guilt and shame; we’ll be discussing strategies you can use to engage in self-forgiveness.
Self-compassion is thought of as giving yourself the same compassion you'd give others. That means that self-compassion involves comforting and taking care of yourself. Self-compassion includes skills like mindful awareness, self-acceptance, living your values, and loving-kindness. When we have self-compassion, we can identify when we fail to meet our standards or live our values, but we don't judge ourselves so much. That's why self-compassion may help us increase feelings of happiness and well-being.
We can improve feelings of happiness through changing our thoughts, behaviors, and circumstances. Research has largely focused on changing our thoughts with lots of published strategies to help with changing our thoughts. Within this there are some strategies that you can use to change negative thoughts into being more positive, and thus happier overall.
COVID-19 has brought us a year of anxious uncertainty. Sheltering in place, working remotely, or facing daily hazards as essential workers, we’ve been unable to see our extended families, meet a friend for coffee, or even go to the gym, a sports game, concert, or movie. Some of us have lost loved ones, leaving a heartbreaking hole in our lives. All of us have lost touch with the normal rhythms of life. With no breaks in routine and fewer simple pleasures, the past few months have been an endless blur. Recent studies have shown that depression rates in America have tripled since the pandemic began (Berman, 2020).
With the pandemic forcing many of us to stay inside as much as possible, most therapists are meeting their clients virtually at present, in order to protect others and remain safe. While there has been an adjustment to navigating virtual therapy, there have been many benefits to being able to transition to more virtual opportunities for therapy.
Being in a relationship with someone who has a trauma history can be uniquely challenging at times. In many cases, individuals who experience trauma may behave in ways that are hard for their partner to understand. They may experience panic attacks, express distrust, escalate quickly to anger, or become disengaged. As trauma can interrupt emotional processing, those who have experienced trauma often struggle to articulate what is really going on inside of them. This can cause conflict and miscommunication, and it can make it difficult for well-intended partners to know what kind of support to provide. If this sounds a bit like your experience, not to fear! There are ways to become a trauma-informed and compassionate partner while also maintaining your own boundaries and safety within your relationship.
Our relationship with ourselves is often at the core of other challenges such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, or difficulties in relationships. How do we shift to seeing ourselves and treating ourselves the same way we treat others? If we can learn to be our own friends and practice self-compassion, we can boost our spirits and alleviate some of the struggles leading to that increased critical voice.
Often when we think of Valentine’s Day we think about hearts, love, gifts, and planning. For many who struggle with anxiety or worry thoughts, Valentine’s Day can be full of worries around disappointing someone else. Worries around being alone and your future relationships can also come to mind if you do not have a partner. For those struggling with depression, cynical thoughts around the unworthiness of finding love, cynical thoughts around the commercialization of the holiday, or hopelessness around finding a partner may occur. With so many thoughts like these, it is likely that Valentine’s Day can be difficult for many!
Whether you're in a relationship or not, focusing on self-love and kindness is crucial in order to support and love others as well. Often when we are single during Valentine’s Day we can feel frustrated with extravagant gifts, or feeling we have to buy presents. While we may have varying opinions on Valentine’s Day, we know it’s celebrated so why not take advantage of it and celebrate you?
While many of us cannot wait for 2020 to end and feel 2021 will be better no matter what, there may still be some individual resolutions we can all consider, not only for our physical health but our mental health as well. Research has shown that there are certain strategies that improve mood and reduce the risk for mental health concerns. The ten strategies below are simple resolutions you might consider that can have a big impact on your well-being as we ring in 2021.
While the holidays can be stressful for everyone, those dealing with depression and anxiety can struggle that much more. About 1 in 5 adults will suffer from mental illness each year and the holidays can create more stress, that triggers or exacerbates those mental health conditions. One of the best ways to alleviate stress is to engage in effective self-care such as eating balanced meals, getting enough sleep, and making sure you have enough downtime.
As the weather is getting colder and the holidays are approaching, more to-dos, deadlines, and social pressures may arise. However, there are many ways to take care of your emotional wellbeing during the holiday season. Did you know, the winter sun in Norway doesn’t rise above the horizon, the days are short and dimly lit. So the Norwegians take the opportunity to create koselig, or a cozy way of living. This tradition means getting under a blanket with a cup of tea and enjoying your time with family and friends peacefully. And koselig must be working as Norwegians have astonishingly low rates of seasonal affective disorder and depression rates during the winter.
The holidays hold a lot of pressure for many. Even if you are looking forward to the lights, food, and festivities during the holiday season, there may also be a lot of stress. Pressure to impress loved ones with the most picture-perfect meal or the greatest gift can lead to stress. Wanting to buy the best gift can lead to strains on a tight budget, and this year, the delays in packages can lead to stress and anxiety that your gifts won’t arrive on time. For many this year, feelings of sadness may also arise from being unable to be close to family during this time. Below are a few things you can do if you find yourself stressed or depressed during this holiday season.
While the holidays may bring up thoughts of spending time with friends, delicious food, and other festivities, for others the holidays can bring up feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression. This year, these feelings may be stronger with many unable to see family and friends. If you’re experiencing stress during this holiday season, below are some coping strategies to manage increased levels of stress, anxiety, and sadness.
