Our mind and body are intimately connected. We can truly convince our bodies at times that we are well or unwell. It all depends on the dialogue we tell ourselves.
Do you say awful things to yourself like, “You’re gaining weight” or “You look like you’re aging?” Think of all of the harmful things you say to yourself. Now ask yourself if you would ever say that to your best friend, to your child, to your parents or grandparents, and then ask yourself why. You deserve the same respect, love and compassion you give to others. Experiment on telling yourself true and positive things about yourself and see how productive you are that day. See how great your mind and body feels. Your thoughts and dialogue have such a strong impact on your body and on your life.
There has never been a more important time in our lives for us to be kind to others and to ourselves. I know that you’re enduring stress. I know that you feel anxiety. We all are. This is not the time to be unkind. This is the time to nourish our bodies and our minds. It’s the time to feed our immune system by coping as well as we can under stress.
Recently you may have lost your job. You may have lost your social circle or at least what it used to look like. You may even feel like you’ve lost your freedom. What have you gained? Have you gained more time with those closest to you? Have you gained more time to reflect on what really matters in your life? Have you gained more time to spend on wellness? Have you gained more “you” time? Do you miss the heavy traffic, the concrete jungle, the hustle and bustle, the deadlines, the demands, the rushing around, the overtime?
This is a difficult time and we’re experiencing a lot of unknowns and losses, but we’re also gaining — and we can’t lose sight of that. It has come at a great cost. We are losing people, and victims of the virus are suffering, as well as their loved ones, but unless you’re a scientist, there probably isn’t anything that you can do about that horrific reality. What you can do is not lose sight of what you’re gaining.
Perhaps you will be entering a job change. Perhaps you have ended a relationship that needed ending or repaired a relationship that needed fixing. It doesn’t help you or anyone to dwell on the negative aspects of what the world is enduring, but it will help you and your immune system if you can cope with this stress in a healthy manner by focusing on the good.
Every time something good comes from isolation, tell yourself or even create a gratitude journal and write in it as often as you’re inspired.
The words we use and the thoughts we think are powerful, and our bodies are always listening. So please, always be kind to your mind, body and soul. We need it now more than ever. Focus on what you can control, focus on what is positive, and focus on the light, because we all need and deserve that comfort right now.
