10 ways to help you thrive during difficult times

My father once told me that when in crisis do nothing. It seemed so counter-intuitive at the time that I initially dismissed what he said, choosing instead to grumble even louder about the challenge I was facing, trying to defend all the reasons why my panic was justified.  But he held firm to his advice.

Years later I finally got it.  And perhaps today, more than any other time in my life, his words echo with such profound clarity.

You see, doing nothing means leaning back, looking at the situation with a clear head rather than through the lens of heightened emotions – never the best time for making decisions.

So today, I’m encouraging you to lean back. And once you’re acknowledged your emotions and allowed yourself to grieve the loss of the world as we once knew it, shake yourself off, lean in, and begin to see beneath the disruption.

Through the alchemy of acceptance you will be able to exhale your anxiety and inhale gratitude for the opportunity to transform your life into something even better once the chaos is behind us.

To help you lean back, here are my top 10 ways to help you thrive during these difficult times.

1. Honour your emotions.
   It’s o.k. to feel sad right now.  Allow yourself to grieve and be gentle with yourself.  Don’t try and suppress your feelings.  But give yourself a time limit.  I gave myself 24 hours to really feel my sadness having just lost a large contract that I knew would negatively impact my financial capacity to weather the storm.  I allowed myself to really feel it for 24 hours.  Then I said, o.k., now it’s time to reach into my toolbox for the things I know will help me stifle the worry while everything is so upside down.
2. Refrain from Complaint.
   This is such a big one and really the most important thing in my toolbox. Everybody has a story. Everybody has something they have lost.  Whether it’s the feeling of losing personal freedom, worry about money, fear of illness etc.  So stop feeding the negative energy that is already out there.  Stop behaving like a victim! And stop trying to analyze why this is happening.  Just accept that it is and ease into this new reality. I believe that everything happens for a reason.  I do not believe that it is God’s judgment.  I believe that it is a necessary collective pause so we can all reset.  And while we pause, instead of sending more negative energy out there, let’s send our love and strength to those living with the virus and to all those on the front-lines that are keeping our communities going.
3. Stand tall.
   It’s amazing how much better you feel when you’re not slouching. Your lungs can breathe more freely, you feel more confident and you just plain feel better.  Trust me it works!
4. Count your blessings.
   Always important during challenging times.  Look around you.  The sun still came up this morning.  The stars will still shine tonight. Make a list of all the things you have to be grateful for.  I guarantee it will be a longer list than what is troubling you right now.  Gratitude changes perspective.
5. Limit the news.
   It’s easy to become obsessed with watching the news.  Not surprising since I believe most of us are addicted to fear.  Stay informed but not obsessed.  It will make a huge difference to your overall wellbeing.
6. Be optimistic. 
   Take an inventory of things that happened in your past that you overcame.  You are stronger than you think.  You will get through this.  Learn more about being optimistic.
7. Self-care.
   Look after yourself – mentally, physically and spiritually.  Personally, I’ve ramped up the Vitamin C in order to keep my immune system strong.  And I drink a warm tonic with strained grated ginger and lemon juice. I eat healthy foods and I walk most days, breathing the fresh air into my lungs.  I just walk around the block and make sure I keep my distance from others.  I meditate, I read books that are positive, and I watch funny movies.  (more about funny movies in a later blog this month, so stay tuned)
8. Be of service.
   I heard someone say on the news that we all need to “see the “we” in this”.  I loved that simple statement.  There are still lots of things you can do to be of service to others during these extraordinary times.  Here is some food for thought – Shine Bright Like a Diamond.
9. Allow others to be of service to you.
   Remember you are not alone.  Others want to help you, too.  Let them. You are worthy.
10. Visualize a transformed life.
    I believe everything will feel and be different when we all come out of this.  Let’s make something new and better – a transformed world.  Think of this as your opportunity to imagine a new way of being.  Imagine communities and our planet being transformed into a more collaborative and loving global community.  And it starts with each one of us. Learn how to transform the renewed you.

This situation will continue to go on for a while, and I think we all know the emerging world after it’s all over, will start to be different.  To ensure you are able to live with more joy, grab my book Being Joy™ to start creating healthy habits so you can have a more joyful life.

Stay well and be joyful!

Love from your Joy Mama,