The news used to be something many of us could take or leave. We would read a little, then move on with our lives.
Now the news is thoroughly entangled with our lives themselves. Whether we enmesh ourselves in the reality of today or turn off the noise in favour of good old-fashioned avoidance, the truth of today’s pandemic is there.
The world is different from it was two months ago, and because we are entangled with the energy of the world we inhabit, we have no choice but to be different than we were too.
It can feel like a lot.
If you have just peeked at the headlines, you may feel even more uncertain than you did before. We aren’t getting answers, just speculation. We are all wondering big questions like When? How? Why? And no grown-up can swoop in and make everything better.
This is when we must be our own advocates; our own best friends. This is when we must take a moment to recalibrate and to put our mental health first. If you have just read the news, take a moment before moving onto the next thing and give this a whirl.
Sit with what you feel.
Where is the news sitting in your body at the present moment? Where is it taking up space?
This is not a “figure out how to deal” moment. It is a moment of feeling, of admitting that you might not feel okay. This is much more healing than going into the kitchen, baking another loaf of banana bread and pretending that everything is absolutely fine.
(No knocks against banana bread – it’s a quarantine staple.)
Feel where the energy of the news is residing in your body.
Take a moment to see if you can move that energy down.
If it is in your head, can you move it into your chest? If it is in your chest, can you move it into your belly?
If it is in your belly, can you move it to your pelvis or legs?
Consider moving the energy down to a more grounded place, rather than out entirely. Then give yourself permission to make room for what you feel, just a little more room.
When you feel you have really taken some time for yourself, open your eyes and ask yourself: what can I do next to nurture myself?
It won’t be surprising if you are answered back with two very clear words:
Banana. Bread.
