I hope everyone is keeping it together during this scary time. I had no idea how much this coronavirus pandemic would affect my mental health, and I’m glad I have my boyfriend and my sister to help keep me calm. I’ve also been trying other ways to distract myself and help with all these emotions I’ve been dealing with. It’s important to try to stay healthy so you don’t get sick, but you should also try to care for your mental health. Trying to adjust to all these changes, the uncertainty of this virus, social distancing, and whatever else may be going on can be so stressful and can have a significant effect on your mental health. Here are some of the ways that I’ve been relieving stress this week.
Aromatherapy: Lately, I’ve been diffusing with my Relax essential oil I got from Yankee Candle. I noticed how much my anxiety decreases when I diffuse with that specific essential oil blend. I’m always eager to learn more about different essential oils and blends, and I’m always on Pinterest searching for other oils or blends to start trying. Some other calming scents are lavender, ylang-ylang, rosemary, frankincense, and rose, to name a few. You can also light scented candles for aromatherapy.
Spending Time With Loved Ones: This past week, I’ve been hanging around my sister and my boyfriend a lot more. Their love and support has helped me handle these stressful times tremendously, and I’m so grateful to have them in my life. Sometimes you just need someone to listen to you, cry with, help reassure you that everything will be okay, or keep you distracted so you don’t panic. If you’re feeling stressed out, find someone who you can call, text, video chat with, or just pop over to their house. The social support will help out a lot.
Exercising: I’m sure we’ve all heard that exercising is scientifically proven to help relieve stress, and it’s true. The great thing about it is that you can both mentally and physically benefit from it. Gyms may be closed right now, but there are ways you can still be active at home. I’ve been doing at-home workouts using POPSUGAR Fitness for a few months, and I love it! I always feel so good after a workout, and the fact that I’m losing weight makes it a double win. Even if it’s only for 10 minutes, get your body moving. Relieving physical tension in your body will help relieve mental stress as well.
Writing or Reading: This week, I’ve been trying to focus more on my writing, which is making me feel a lot less anxious. There’s one manuscript that I’ve been trying to edit for the longest but never got around to it. After going over the first two chapters earlier in the week, I now have all these ideas that I want to incorporate in my story to make it even better. Writing and reading allow me to not think about all the chaos that’s happening in the world right now and lets me focus on my own little fictional world. If you have any hobby, I’d encourage you to do whatever it is to keep yourself distracted.
What activities are you doing to keep yourself calm during the pandemic?
Yours Truly, Tasha B. 