How To Stay Calm As The Coronavirus Pandemic Unfolds
Here's how to keep calm when everything feels stressful.
by VisionPic.net from Pexels Knowing how to stay calm, especially in the new era of the coronavirus scare, is important. We are living in transformational times and the world is changing rapidly.
It’s time to slow down, access your inner calm, and let go of the masculine energy tendency to go-go-go.
In these times, you're being called to embrace the feminine qualities and just "be."
Is the great American way crumbling? I’d like to say it is being birthed into a new and healthier way of life.
Your body can only take so much input and handle only so much anxiety-producing stimuli before you tip into an outright panic attack.
Knowing how to stay calm is going to be a necessary tool if you want to move forward with a sense of sanity as current world events unfold. It’s easy to buy into the wave of fear that’s permeating not only your local community but the whole nation. And globally, as well.
In addition, if you are an empath, it’s going to be crucially important for you to have self-care practices to stay calm during these times.
We live in such a masculine-oriented world. Always on the go. Whether you are a man or a woman, knowing how to access the feminine qualities of nurturing and self-care will go a long way in staying calm and keeping positive as the dramas of the world unfold.
Staying calm under pressure isn’t always easy. But if you learn to regularly practice ways to stay calm and relax your body (and mind) you won’t get overloaded.
Don’t wait until you’re overwhelmed to try and stay calm. Make calming practices part of your life.
Still, in these changing times, and especially with the advent of the coronavirus, more and more people will have to learn how to go inward. Even the fact that many are now having to work from home will be a big change.
If you’re used to working around others in a busy environment, being home alone will be a big transition for you. And being calm with no distractions from other co-workers would present a challenge.
And if you do work from your home and are used to the solo environment, knowing ways to stay calm will still be important as this global challenge once the coronavirus takes its course.
These are times where you not only feel your own stress, but the collective stress that others are experiencing. Especially, as mentioned earlier, if you are an empath. It’s important not to buy into the fear that can go rampant in all forms of media.
Here are 5 ways to stay calm as the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic unfolds:
1. Limit media and news.
It’s important to know what’s going on in the world, but don't get caught up in the fear. I gave up watching the news years ago when I was in my early 20s.
I didn’t want to find out what atrocities had happened before I was going to bed.
Much of what’s on the news isn’t uplifting. Life is hard enough as it is.
It takes energy and effort to keep your spirits up. A staggering percent of the population suffers from chronic depression and anxiety disorders.
If you want to keep calm and stay positive, I would suggest paying close attention to how much news, social media, and even movies you choose to watch. What type of content is it? Is it fear-based? They impact you, whether you realize it or not.
Take time off from the media. So many people are stuck on knowing what’s going on in world events or what’s happening on social media, but really have no clue what’s going on inside themselves.
Getting away from media — and especially the news — is the first step for keeping calm in this stormy environment we are living in.
2. Get out of your busy mind.
Your mind is often your worst enemy. Did you know that? Your mind is designed to see what's wrong in your environment. It’s a survival mechanism.
So, in a sense, the mind is good; however, you need to give it less power than you have if you’re finding yourself riddled with anxiety and are having a hard time being calm.
You see, the mind is never in the present moment. And the present moment is where your power is. The present moment is also a very peaceful place. But unfortunately, you're probably rarely present, caught up in your busy life.
That’s why self-care practices are so important. They calm your mind.
If you take a moment to notice, your mind is never in the present. It’s always in the past or the future. Often it's either in the past thinking of "should have, could have, would have's" or is thinking of a past lover and “the way we were.”
Or, your mind is in the future fearful of what might happen. Your mind is never in the present moment. That’s the nature of the mind.
As I said, the present moment is where peace is. And guess what is always in the present moment? Your body.
I tell my students to get out of their mind and be in their bodies. That’s where you’ll find inner peace.
Learning how to be in your body takes practice. There are many self-care practices that will assist. Guided meditations are one of them. They don’t take that long and quickly provide you with the calm you’re looking for.
Don’t wait until you’re stressed. Make them a regular part of your life.
3. Slow down.
When you find yourself having a hard time staying calm, slow down.
Your inability to be calm is because you’re identifying with your mind and not with your body.
Stress is the number one cause of disease. Stress comes from “thinking” you don’t have enough resources to get done what you need to.
How important are those things that are on your to-do list?
If you got a call that one of your loved ones — god forbid — just died, how important would your to-do list be?
Are you living life on high speed? Do you base your sense of self on how much you can accomplish in a day? Does that attitude affect your relationships? What's that costing you?
Take time to slow down and become more present. Remember, it’s the present moment where you’ll experience peace and calm.
4. Process your emotions.
Hurry leads to worry. Nonetheless, when you practice presence and slow down, emotions can arise.
It’s normal to repress your emotions, but not healthy. In order to break these habits, you need to "process" your emotions.
When you’re suffering from anxiety, staying calm seems far from your reach, but learning how to process your emotions is a powerful tool if you want to stay calm.
And when you add to that your interactions with others who are stressed, anxiety-ridden, and don’t have tools to stay calm, it gets pretty complex.
Simply put, when you’re having an uncomfortable feeling, you have an unmet need. In other words, when you experience such emotions as fear or anxiety, there’s an unmet need you're not addressing.
So, find the source of your anxiety and help yourself satisfy it. Learning how to process your emotions will give you a powerful tool for centering, nurturing, and calming yourself.
It will also support you in navigating your relationships in a more loving way, helping you to stay calm under pressure.
5. Get outside.
Walking is one of the most supportive tools for your overall health. And that includes your mental health. I’ve been taking daily walks for years. It’s part of my “sanity program.”
Walking out in nature is especially good for you. Stop being stuck living within four walls. Make sure that you take at least a 30-minute walk a day outside.
According to Taoist tradition, every organ is related to a positive and negative emotion. You may or may not know this, but stimulating the bottom of your feet by walking or even getting a foot massage is a great way to calm your mind.
So get out and walk, and pave the way to a calmer you.
There are other things you can do to stay calm. These are five powerful suggestions. If they resonated with you, include them in your daily way of life. You’ll be a calmer, more centered person because of it.
Anna-Thea is an author and Divine Feminine Educator who teaches women how to navigate their emotions in a positive way, giving them tools for greater body awareness and good communication. If you would like to find out more about Anna-Thea’s teachings visit her website.