Lockdown Can Either Make You Or Break You Down

This pandemic has been a particularly unique experience for just about everyone, a challenging journey for the most part and one that many people can relate too. For many of us, we’re currently experiencing a world filled with chaos, fear and panic. Every day we’re stuck between being informed and trying to stay sane to keep the peace whilst doing so and the daily pressures placed on us by work, school, family etc during this time increases an overwhelming sense of stress. In times like these its essential to prioritise our mental health and learn how to manage …. above anything else and without feeling any guilt! With all the social distancing regulations and lockdown extensions, the idea of normalcy seems like an unrealistic fate and now with how life has adjusted over this period too much time spent In one place often clouds our judgements, forces us to reassess our life and actions and even causes us to feel down at random moments in time. It is most vital to pay attention to how you are feeling because your feelings are a clear indication of how you think. Ask yourself this, Are your feelings coming from a positive, healthy mindset or a negative one? By becoming conscious of whether our mind is in a good mental state or not, we’re able to effectively do something about it, to stay in control although it’s not as easy as just that. All this time spent alone introduces a mass of different emotions ranging from disappointment, resentment, loneliness to sadness, anger or even fear but all of which can result in chronic stress, depression, anxiety and general mental health issues. But you see, we must know how to control our minds especially in times of uncertainty so that it doesn’t control us. The moment we learn how to prioritize our mental health and manage our minds without feeling guilty about doing it, we’re able to control how we think and feel from a place of rationalisation and calm. When you choose to go this route instead of giving into stress and anxiety-like the rest of the world, this is when you choose to take back your power.

The real question is, how exactly do you manage your mental state? Well, the first step is to stay emotionally centred and physically grounded and this begins with the emotional tone you choose to set as you step into each situation (in this case, lockdown). Your emotional tone means the emotional energy you bring forward that in fact has a constant and transforming impact on the people around you. So, setting the right emotional tone involves staying calm, strong, centred, and patient. It means channelling positive energy during lockdown to help you become the best version of yourself. The aim is to project positive energy not only for yourself but for others around you, to set a tone reflecting strength, courage, and hope during these very daunting times. Take note that your emotional tone is tied to your attitude, which matches your thoughts and the questions you frequently ask yourself during this period. The person you were before lockdown most definitely is not the person you are today, your transformation motivates a difference in perspective, adopting a solution-focused mindset that will provide clarity to benefit your mental state. Given this, it’s paramount that you take full responsibility for taking care of yourself, refrain from placing a higher priority on other things and other people when your mental state is not balanced! Do not allow the circumstances around you to take away your power instead choose to rise from fear, choose not to give in to anxiety, fear and worry, because these are the times when our good habits should come into play. Lockdown is an opportunity for us to place the highest value in putting ourselves first and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. We must proactively make a conscious effort to work through any issues we may have and this doesn’t have to be done alone.

Things to start doing to make an active change:

Practice meditation, journaling, reading, working out and consuming motivational and uplifting content. During the remaining time in lockdown, we must be constantly uplifting ourselves above these circumstances and as I said before, the only way to practice positivity is by staying emotionally centred and mentally grounded in good habits. Staying calm is your superpower! When you practice being in a calm state of mind, you allow yourself to think clearly and more logically because you’re not stressing out your mind, soul or body unnecessarily. This is an act of self-love which is what we should all invest more time in practising. Finally, stay objective and disengage emotionally from any negativity but also, try to keep an open mind as you explore new learning, methods, and ideas. Look out for opportunities you could use to your advantage basically think outside the box, there could very well be an opportunity that is waiting to be found.

Yours Truly Sasi