With widespread fear, anxiety, and even panic over the spread of coronavirus disrupting lives, author, coach, and executive Anne Boudreau offers some tips on how people can care for themselves during times of high anxiety.
People struggling to cope with fear, anxiety, and stress due to the coronavirus need to take time to for “emotional nourishment” to make sure they are able to function well for themselves and their loved ones, Boudreau says.
“Self-care refers to how one actively protects and improves one’s overall health and wellness, focusing on the mind, body, and spirit,” she adds. “Self-care is acutely important. Nurturing our heart, mind, body, and spirit is critical to our longevity. Without our health, we have nothing.”
Here are some of her self-care tips to help people get through difficult times:
- Feed yourself with calming thoughts and words — “Positive self-talk is a superb source of motivation and sustenance,” Anne says. “Use short, pithy phrases or power-packed, inspirational words to shift your mood. Create personal mantras that mean something to you.” Also, “Do not repeat negative beliefs about yourself. Stay away from using the words ‘never’ or ‘always…Do not ‘negative futurize’ — as in believing something bad is going to happen instead of something good is going to happen. Be aware of negative thoughts that are triggered within you and reframe them into positive ones.”
- Breathe deeply and exercise your lungs to release fear — “Inhale slowly through your nose with your shoulders relaxed, expanding your abdomen (put your hand on your belly to make sure it’s your abdomen rising and falling and not your chest). Exhale slowly through your mouth, keeping your jaw relaxed. Repeat for several minutes. If you are distraught for any reason, focusing on your breathing will help you calm down (it can even prevent panic attacks!).”
- Check in with yourself — “If you establish a habit of checking in with yourself daily, you are far less likely to succumb to negative messages and attitudes that attack your self-worth like a virus. Neglecting to do this is like waiting to take your temperature until you collapse on your feet. ‘Taking your temperature,’ or checking in with yourself, is a way to regulate your thoughts and behavior. By checking in with yourself, you can self-regulate your temperament throughout the day to remain calm and maintain your cool.”
- Reset your mood — “Our society has trained us to feel fear when we are unfamiliar with something, when we are in an adverse situation, or when we are facing a problem. Yet, when we fear something, we are channeling our energy toward that fear, and in our attempt to fight the fear, we pour more energy and focus into the fear itself. Our best option is to keep making the choices that will help us feel connected to our inner source of peace — our Soul Self.”
- Experiment to find the self-care techniques that work best for you — Practicing them can help you develop the self-worth and inner strength you need to face difficult circumstances and fear of the unknown.
“The actions we choose to nurture and strengthen our wellbeing differ from person to person, since each of us is unique,” Boudreau says. “It is important to find activities that you love and find meaningful so that you will continue to participate.”
About: Anne Ockene Boudreau is an inspirational author, coach, and executive who is devoted to helping others develop healthy self-worth. In her new book, “A Human Mosaic: Heal, Renew & Develop Self-Worth,” she reveals how self-worth is a critical element for sustainable personal change. For more information visit www.AnneOBoudreau.com.
The Editorial Team at Lake Oconee Health is made up of skilled health and wellness writers and experts, led by Daniel Casciato who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We aim to provide our readers with valuable insights and guidance to help them lead healthier and happier lives.
