Acknowledge how you are feeling –
Be aware of your thoughts and feelings. These are uncertain times, and we will all be responding to this in different ways. Being curious about and acknowledging our thoughts and feelings will help us to be able to look at them and come up with skillful ways in dealing with them. These may include talking to friends and family, practicing mindfulness skills to make room for our thoughts and feelings and ground ourselves, seeking professional help.
Stay connected and engaged – It’s important not to become isolated. Be creative about how you can stay connected with friends and family within the rules of the different lockdown levels (phone, messaging, online coffee dates, social media).
Engage in self-care – Make space to look after yourself, without much of the usual noise of life and obligations there may be more time to think about your well-being and engage in activities to promote your own well-being.
Practise self-kindness and self-compassion – Don’t judge yourself for how you are feeling or of how well or not you feel you are coping. Acknowledge any challenges and difficulties you are having and accept these as part of the normal human experience and get help and support if needed.
Practise kindness and compassion to others – We are all in lockdown but do not all experience it in the same way. We face different individual challenges and are all trying to figure our way through this. Acknowledging this can help us to address difficult situations and interactions that may arise, with kindness and respect.
Clearly identify what is of value – For any behaviours you want to keep as we move down the levels and eventually out of lockdown, if you pin your behaviour into your values, you're more likely to continue it.
Find meaning and purpose – In what you’re doing, notice anxious thoughts and feelings and responding to these with awareness, self-kindness and without judgement will help not to get stuck in them, stay connected and engaged, open with yourself, stay informed and focus on what you can control and choose, accepting what you cannot control.