Managing Through Tough Times – 7 Ways to Shift Your Mindset
We are living through extraordinary times at the moment.
The most important message that I want to give you right now is that we will get through this together.
#togetherathome
I’m sending you my love and hoping you are staying safe, healthy and taking care of yourself and your family.
I don't know about you but I'm experiencing what I'm calling "crazy brain". I wake up in the morning and can't remember what day of the week it is.
I'm finding it really hard to focus on anything for any length of time. This is unusual for me, but everything about the world today is not normal right now.
Watch today's Anne TV broadcast where I share 7 ways that are helping me shift my mindset to bring some normalcy back into my life. I hope you find them helpful.
#1 Physical vs. Social Distancing
Words are important. We need to stay physically distance to help stop the spread of Covid-19. But that does not mean we have to stay socially isolated or alone. Humans need connection and we are blessed to live in a world where connecting virtually is easy, generally free, and readily available. Connect with your loved ones on FaceTime or use Zoom. More about that in a minute.
#2 Shift Your Focus
What you focus on is how you are going to feel. If you focus on the news, you’ll feel anxious, overwhelmed, fearful. Stay informed but don’t binge watch the news. There really isn’t any “new” news anyway. Shift your focus instead to something that will help calm you down or bring you joy. Take out those paints and paint something. Grab a journal and start journaling. Pick up knitting again. Make yourself a cup of tea and sit outside for a few minutes. I’m sure you have lots of ideas.
#3 Find A Routine
It’s very helpful to get back into some kind of routine in order to bring a degree of normalcy back into our lives. That could be an early morning walk with your dog or an evening stroll with your husband before dinner. And yes, we are keeping 6 feet away from anyone we encounter outside. But these small steps help us find our footing again. Incorporating some type of physical activity into your day is always a good idea. We need to stay healthy and take care of ourselves.
#4 Set Boundaries
This is particularly important if your house is full of other family members such as grandparents, your spouse, children or grandchildren. It can feel like a zoo with too many different activities happening around you. Set rules for when you need to work and for where you will work. Set rules for when you will spend time with the kids and truly focus on them so they know you are present. We love board games, puzzles and playing cards.
#5 Keep Healthy Habits
I’m not going to lie. My husband went shopping and brought back two boxes of pop tarts. I haven’t had pop tarts in probably 10 years or more but I love them! It’s okay to have a treat like this during this time of high stress. But don’t go completely off the deep end by returning to bad eating habits. You won’t be happy with yourself when we come through this crazy time. And we will come through it eventually. Get back into your exercise routine with virtual yoga or by riding a stationary bike in the basement.
#6 Do Something Creative
You know that doing something creative will help you shift your focus away from what’s happening in the world and towards something joyful and fun. Use this time to learn a new skill, like surface design for example. Adobe is offering two months free on their Creative Cloud apps like Illustrator. You can get a free trial and get started today. Just think what you can accomplish in two whole months.
#7 Connect Virtually
Please join me for Creative Gatherings – a way for us to connect virtually and support each other during this challenging time. I’m holding these sessions three times a week.
Here are the details for you:
Tuesdays at noon PST (California time)
Thursdays at 1pm PST (California time)
Fridays at 2pm PST (California time)
I held 3 of these Creative Gatherings last week and here’s what Jennifer had to say: “Wow!!! How incredibly awesome the zoom call was! I waited all day for it. Look forward to seeing you on the next one. You have a wonderful community of creatives, they all seem sweet & genuine. God bless have a great week.”
These Creative Gatherings are virtual, meaning they are held online, but we can see and talk to each other.
Save this link: https://zoom.us/j/4924209814
On the days and times listed above, click on the link and I’ll be online in my “zoom room” to greet you. I'll be able to see you and you'll be able to see me. And we can talk directly with one another. It's an incredible way to stay connected, support each other and keep fear and isolation at bay.
I hope you'll join us. Come to one to try it out. And then come as often as you like. :)
Don't forget to watch this week's Anne TV broadcast to get more details about my 7 tips on how to manage through tough times. These are really helping me bring a small bit of "normal" back into my life. I hope they will help you do that too.
Stay safe. Stay healthy.
Reach out to me directly at anne@annelafollette.com if there is anything I can do to support you right now. I'm here for you.
Remember,
It’s Never Too Late to Create
If you enjoyed this blog please share it with your friends and family. Click your favorite social platform below. And join my email list for weekly creative inspiration and an invitation to our private Facebook group, Anne’s Art Club.
MEET ANNE
Hi…I’m Anne!
My creative inspiration comes from a lifetime of observation. I grew up in Paris on the Place St. Sulpice and walked to school through the Luxembourg gardens. And that was only the beginning… Learn more by watching the video on my About page.
