I am a pretty positive person. I look on the bright side, try to find the good in everyone, and give most people the benefit of the doubt. I believe that if you put good into the world, the universe will provide you with good things in return.
But that doesn’t mean that things don’t worry me. In fact, many days, the news overwhelms me. After all, I see the effects of global climate change all around me: floods in Texas, heatwaves in the Northwest, melting ice caps, and water shortages in California, just to name a few.
And I’ve been at the epicenter of the pandemic for the last thirty months. Even today, my teams at CIS are still dealing with ongoing COVID exposures and outbreaks. I see funerals for loved ones lost to COVID held months later. On a personal level, I wonder how to choose a suitable COVID vaccine for my child. Or not choose. We’ve all been in our own personal pandemic caves, and now we wonder how to navigate big family gatherings. Is it okay to get together, or are lives still at risk? The stress seems endless.
The list goes on and on. What about polio’s reemergence as fewer parents vaccinate their kids? How do we handle folks quitting jobs to chase big sign-on bonuses? What about the Ukrainian war and increased tension between the U.S. and Russia?
It’s easy to spiral. It’s challenging to stay calm and find an inner sense of peace. But there are many things you can do to find joy, promote cooperation, and rediscover your sense of purpose.
Start Small
Experts agree that there are literally hundreds of ways to relieve stress. But not every strategy is suitable for every person. For example, going for a run is not an appropriate activity for people with mobility issues. Getting a dog isn’t possible for people who travel a lot or have allergies. So don’t worry if every idea isn’t right for you. Instead, find the activity or action that works with your life.
Start by making a list of ideas you believe could help you relieve stress, push the negative out of your body and get closer to a sense of stillness, maybe even joy. For example, one idea might be to find a way to laugh every day. You could watch a comedy on tv, find funny TikTok videos, or spend more time with people who make you laugh.
Some ideas may be achievable with a little extra determination. In these cases, creating small, manageable objectives might make sense to help you “baby step” your way to a larger goal. For example, if you want to walk a mile every day, but you’re not able to do that yet, start by slowly walking just five minutes a day. And then expand that into ten minutes. Over time increase your walking time to fifteen or twenty minutes. As you become more comfortable walking, you can also increase your speed slowly. It may take weeks or even months to walk a mile comfortably, but by creating a smaller set of goals and measuring progress, you can often reach your goals. You could do a five-minute workout (e.g., a few push-ups, sit-ups and jumping jacks) each day before bed or to start your day. Then over time, you might decide to join a gym or watch workout videos at home to exercise to. (Do always talk to your doctor before starting or changing your exercise routine.)
Another small way to improve your mood is with tactical comfort. Increasing comfort through touch is a well-established therapeutic approach. We all know the emotional value of hugs, but hugging isn’t always encouraged in a pandemic. However, you can get similar benefits from petting animals. Getting a massage can be a great stress reliever, but so is wrapping yourself up in a soft, cozy blanket.
Connect With Your Community
Human interaction is vital to your mental health. Make sure you have a variety of people in your world who enhance your life. If you don’t have a lot of friends who fill this role, go get some! You could try finding people with similar interests. Start a book club. Join a garden society. Go to a vintage auto show. Join a worship center. Volunteer to clean up a local park. Find people who share your interests and start talking with them.
Another way to improve your mental health is to reach out to the people around you. Get to know your neighbors. Seek them out and make sure you know their names. Consider inviting the people next door over for drinks on the front porch. Introduce yourself to your neighborhood regulars like your mail carrier, local police, or even cashiers at your favorite stores. By reaching out to the people who are already around you, you are creating connections, talking to others, feeling safer in your community, and making those around you happier, as well. Because we all know that good energy is contagious–so, get spreading!
Spend Time Outside
The sun and the air are good for your soul. Exercising outside is great, but you don’t have to be an athlete to get benefits from spending time outdoors. Sitting on your front porch or stoop, relaxing on a park bench, or even walking around the block on your lunch break are all great ways to increase your time outside. In rain, shine, or snow, spending a little time outdoors every day is a mood booster and good for your mental health.
For a special treat, plan a trip to a beautiful garden, a state or national park, or take a hike in the woods. Time spent in nature is even more beneficial to one’s mental well-being. Studies show that as little as five minutes in nature can significantly improve your mood.
Be a Force for Change
Sometimes the best self care involves caring for others. One of the great joys of my life is my career in social work. At my company, Community Integrated Services, we help adults with a combination of developmental disabilities and behavioral issues. This group has always been a challenging population, but when they are in the right environment, surrounded by compassionate people who know how to help, many thrive.
I would not call myself religious, but I do believe we are doing God’s work. Working with people who so badly need help is challenging but also rewarding. Every small victory gives me immense joy.
We also want to help our employees thrive. We want to provide jobs that turn into careers. That’s why we spend so much time training our new staff and working with them to excel and even become senior staff members. (If you know of anyone in South King County or Spokane who might be a good fit, share this link with them!)
Become a Part of the Solution
While building an emotionally satisfying life, finding ways to experience joy, and connecting with people are all effective ways to find calm and create focus, the bigger issues can still deal a crippling blow. Global climate change is still happening, decisions are being made often behind closed doors that impact our lives. In an effort to take back some sense of power related to those decisions, become engaged in the easiest tool you have at your disposal.
I encourage everyone to claim their right to vote and exercise that right in every election. Your vote determines what kind of people will fill local, state, and national offices. You will also be able to vote on many issues directly. And when you are a registered voter who votes regularly, elected officials know it. They give extra attention to input from active voters in any form, whether it is a signature on a petition, an email, letters, or participation in a march. As a result, registered, active voters’ voices are given greater attention, notice, and consideration by politicians.
Click here to register to vote in Washington state. I encourage you to register and vote for socially conscious politicians in the local mid-term elections this November and in every future election. Your vote counts even more during smaller local elections–that’s where the most immediate decisions impacting you are being made.
That’s because many politicians try to hide controversial issues in smaller elections. For example, initiatives currently being discussed in the Washington State Legislature include, per Balletpedia.org:
- An act that requires public schools to enforce the daily recitation of a prayer before the Pledge of Allegiance and at school assemblies
- Changes the knowing possession of controlled substances from a misdemeanor to a class C felony
- Makes individuals or entities that prohibit firearms on property they own civilly liable for certain damages to people who would otherwise be allowed to possess firearms
Breathe
Listen, almost everyone, everywhere, at any point in history, feels worried or anxious. It’s part of being alive. So, if you’ve been feeling stressed and tense, you are not alone. No matter what your circumstances are, try to live your best life. Change what you can. Be kind to others. And keep breathing.
We’re all in this together.