After months of stress and distress, it’s hard to imagine our fragile world ever going back to the way it was. But carry on we must…for our families, our patients, and ourselves and for all those dreams that we’ve had to put on hold.
Even as difficult times continue and many in our circles still face the challenges of separation, limited social opportunities and long-term effects of the pandemic, experts suggest it’s time to start re-building our resilience and practice self-care.
By using our time wisely and learning how to ask for the help we need, we can recalibrate and find our way to better physical and mental health. With kindness, we can find strength and with gratitude, inner peace.
Experts suggest that at times like these following some of these tips may help us achieve our goals, however lofty, however small: 1) Switch to a focus that nurtures a growth and self-care mindset. As humans, we are uniquely suited to improving our circumstances and ourselves but, as research shows, it’s important to foster the right circumstances for ourselves to thrive without distraction. 2) Choose to be around those who care about you. 3) Embrace new skills, behaviours and attitudes. 4) Find ways to meet interesting new people with love and energy to share. 5) Pace yourself. You don’t need to run a mile. Resetting personal and workplace goals and finding ways to celebrate day-to-day successes is a good place to start. 6) Easy fixes are on the menu. Instead of trying to rewrite your life story overnight, consider small changes that can slowly lead to greater returns over time. 7) Nature deficit disorder is real. There are many recorded benefits related to spending time in the great outdoors, be it walking, biking, gardening or another pastimes. 8) Schedule free time with intention. With our busy lives and constant media intrusions, taking a break and planning quiet time for you is worth its weight in gold. 9) Focus on daily wins that will help to bring back a greater sense of control for your and others around you, be it colleagues, friends, your spouse or your children. Any journey starts with a single step.
Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow isn’t here yet. Ask yourself if you can build on what you have or do you need a fresh start? Be the one who takes the high road. Rise up beyond the losses, disappointments and exhaustion that has dogged all of us in so many ways during the past year. Concentrate on opening new windows for yourself and pushing aside barriers. Take the time and room you need to pause and reconsider your values, your direction, your own needs.
There’s always room at the top.
Caroline Tapp-McDougall
Publisher
caroline@bcsgroup.com
