4 Ways to Maintain Your Emotional Health
“Think about what brings some joy to you, and get creative on how to work some of that into each day. Five minutes of fun goes a long way to improving our mental health throughout the day.”
Photo by Janelle Pol
We recently had some very good news here in NYC! The city is reopening as COVID-19 rates in the city are plummeting. Bars, restaurants, theaters, museums and gyms will be having capacity restrictions removed. I am sure this is welcome news to all of us — the long awaited light at the end of the tunnel. Then again, things could change, so we need a healthy mindset in order to fully enjoy the freedom that’s coming.
I’m sure that many of you are eager to see friends and family, be able to go to work in your normal environment, and not have to think so carefully about who you see in person based on how cautious they’ve been or whether they’ve been vaccinated.
We have all experienced some degree of sadness, frustration or even depression during the lockdown. I certainly felt many of these things. Having given birth before we were locked down last spring, I feel sad that many loved ones haven’t yet met our one-year-old. Even for an introvert like me who thrives on being alone or with a handful of people, those feelings can grow to be a burden.
Throughout this season, my family and I have been learning to adapt and care for our emotional health just as much as we’ve been looking out for our physical health and safety. Here are a few things we’ve learned during this time that you might find helpful too.
Take a look at your emotional health.
How are you feeling overall? Do you feel unusually stressed one day and calm the next? Take a few minutes to think about the possibilities of why. Maybe some days the isolation bothers you more than others. Perhaps there have been times in your past when you felt isolated, and our current isolation could be triggering similar, distressing feelings.
Asking ourselves “When have I felt this feeling before, and what were the circumstances involved?” can help us to identify how our current emotions connect with past experiences. Identifying these connections can help to explain why we have strong reactions sometimes.
Take note of how your emotional health affects your daily routine
Occasional feelings of discouragement and anxiety during this time are to be expected, but if you are finding that those feelings or similar ones are preventing you from doing things you typically do, it’s time to find someone to talk to about how you can get back to feeling like yourself. Please see the link at the end of this story for access to helpful mental health resources.
Work something you enjoy into your routine.
Some days we can’t get a break from our routine. I totally get that! But there is a LOT that we can still do while the pandemic is winding down, and it’s very important to figure out a way to do something we enjoy. Recently I gave myself a pedicure. That felt nice and was a great way to practice a little self-care. The benefits of fresh air, sunshine and moderate movement — just walking 10 minutes — have been endlessly documented for decades. Or turn on some music, belt out your favorite tunes, and dance your heart out. Think about what brings some joy to you, and get creative on how to work some of that into each day. Five minutes of fun goes a long way to improving our mental health throughout the day.
Needing to go the other direction — to calm down from something that has triggered you? Even during our scheduled times, we can still take a few minutes of self-imposed time-out if we need to compose ourselves. Recently I had to take a few minutes and do some meditation to calm my spirit. It worked, and I was able to return to my activity peacefully. What brings peace to you? Get creative. Light a candle, pray, hum a tune, read a snippet of a poem, have a cup of tea, go outside and turn your face to the sun…. take a moment to do whatever helps you to experience calm.
Get in touch with — and educated about — your emotional/mental health.
I believe that education is powerful. I encourage you to consider what your definitions and even possibly some hidden biases of “mental health” might be.
There are many stigmas surrounding mental health. Many biases are taught to us from a young age, or develop over time based on our life experiences. Regardless of your definition of mental health and what’s “normal,” everyone’s mental outlook has taken a hit with this unprecedented season of the pandemic. Know that it’s certainly OK to have experienced negative emotions.
To some degree or another, the pandemic weariness you may have experienced or even feel right now is fairly common. You are certainly not alone. If we can take a checkpoint on our emotional health — think of it like going to the doctor for your annual check-up — and become aware of any needs we have, we can take positive steps to “get in good shape” and fully enjoy what Mayor de Blasio has declared “...the summer of New York City.”
Please know that whatever your circumstances are, help is always available to process your feelings and feel supported. If you feel you need someone to talk to, here is a reliable way to get started: Redeemer Counseling
Carly Graham is a licensed professional counselor in northern New Jersey. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in communication studies from James Madison University and a Master of Arts in Biblical counseling from Dallas Theological Seminary. She currently provides counseling services to women who are walking through postpartum depression, infertility, miscarriage, and infant loss. She and her husband Jonathan live in New Jersey with their two sons.