Check in with yourself (DW#731)
Apr 06, 2020
So how are YOU doing this morning? No, really. How are you doing? (Clearly I am feeling distracted ;) )
The world has changed almost overnight and we were not prepared for it. Just as the world changed forever after 9/11, we have hit another transition point in history. One that is likely to change our consciousness for ever.
It is no wonder that many of us are going through strong and changing emotions at this time. Many of us are feeling anxious, sleepless, fearful, angry and sad. We are having trouble focusing and staying on task. We may be experiencing forgetfulness, loss of motivation and intense grief that comes in waves.
All of these are predictable responses to a highly unpredictable situation.
For now, let us focus on simply noticing which emotions are showing up and practice accepting them rather than pushing them away or escaping them. Practices such as these have good scientific evidence that they work. They have been consistently linked to good psychological health and resilience.
When we adopt a practice of noticing, acknowledging and accepting what is showing up for us right now, we can then invest our energy in taking wise action rather than use our energy to resist what is.
This week let us explore practical ways to check in with ourselves and with our family members so that we can support each other in navigating these uncharted waters.
So, let us start by taking a moment to pause a few times a day and check in with ourselves.
What am I feeling right now?
Is it pleasant, neutral or unpleasant?
Where am I feeling this most strongly? (HINT: Feelings are what you feel in your body – neck down)
What is my energy level like on a scale of 1 to 10?
Once you have identified a feeling and labeled it, offer yourself kindness, no matter what the feeling is.
There is nothing more to do.
Feelings and emotions, as you will begin to notice, keep changing. They generally do not hang around for long if we give them space.
It can be hard to name and label feelings if we are not used to it, so this list of feelings might help name those emotions that we are feeling.
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