After what has arguably been one of the most devastating years in the world’s history and still in the middle of a global pandemic, many people are grieving, feeling depressed, and suffering from isolation. Regardless of where you live, you’ve likely been impacted in one way or another by the Covid-19 pandemic. Whether it’s that you’ve lost your job, have experienced hardships, lost a loved one, or struggle with social distancing and uncertain times, it can be hard to stay positive under the stressors of current events.
In order to stay positive, one of the best things you can do to combat the anxiety of living through a pandemic or even just a busy life is to engage in regular activities of self-care. Not only will it help your overall mental wellness, reduce burnout and sadness, and help you feel more energized, but it could be the best thing you do for your mindset at the end of the day. Take a deep breath, remind yourself that you’re not alone, and read on for ideas on how you can use self-care to help your mental health during a difficult situation.
1. Allowing Yourself to Grieve Loss
Grief is a challenging and natural part of life. Whether you’ve lost someone you love, a job, a marriage, or something else, finding a new path after a sudden loss will come with ups and downs. Any therapist will tell you that the best way to manage grief is to allow yourself to feel whatever emotions come to you.
There are stages of grief that can include some emotions you might not expect. From denial to anger, it’s okay to feel however you do as you work toward closure. Giving yourself permission to feel whatever comes up for you is the best thing you can do for your self-care and overall mental well-being during a time of loss.
If you’ve been devastated by a loss, consider reaching out to family members, friends, a grief therapist, an online support group, or other networks to work through the natural feelings that will come with this difficult time. Be patient with yourself, too. It’s okay to have days when you don’t feel like getting out of bed or the only thing you do is nap. It will take time to establish a new routine, but that will eventually come naturally, too.
2. Making Time for Solo Activities
A great way to take care of yourself during times of stress is to make a regular routine of time alone. Maybe this means traveling alone or even spending the night locked in a bedroom reading about self-care tips for busy moms. Anyone in a difficult situation will benefit from finding ways to unplug from other people’s demands. Setting boundaries around alone time and making time for your own interests is a fantastic act of self-care.
3. Highlighting Inner and Outer Beauty
In difficult times, it’s easy to want to retreat into a room and sleep all day or ignore normal beauty routines. The reality is that if you force yourself to invest in your beauty routines, you might feel better and more prepared to tackle a difficult day. Instead of stuffing those glam lashes or new lip glosses in the drawer, consider making some time to remind yourself how beautiful you are. A manicure, haircut, or even massage can be great ways to reset in times of stress, too.
At the end of the day, only you know the best way to ease your own anxieties and stressors. In reminding yourself that you aren’t alone, giving yourself a chance to be human, and even practicing techniques as simple as starting a gratitude journal, you’ll have the best chance at keeping your mental health intact during a challenging time.
