Mindfulness During A Pandemic
“Freedom is not given to us by anyone; we have to cultivate it ourselves. It is a daily practice… No one can prevent you from being aware of each step you take or each breath in and breath out.”
- Thich Nhat Hanh, Vietnamese Zen master
I’ll be the first one to admit that I am feeling extra anxiety these days due to Covid-19; being home with a 20-month-old, working as a higher education professional, supporting folks as a movement facilitator, having a partner who is an essential worker – and more. I feel like all of us are navigating something and I’m sure this pandemic has us all facing more stress and uncertainty than usual. However, I think it also has many of us asking ourselves “how do I keep myself grounded and less into full-blown panic.”
When I was asked “What is your definition of total wellness?” It took a moment for me to really reflect on this concept and how it presents itself in the way I approach life; however, it also got me thinking about the concept and how I’m enacting total wellness in this moment and throughout a pandemic. The main things I wanted to include were:
Living in integrity;
Practicing small healthy habits to support myself on a daily basis;
It is something that supports me and allows me to go from the feeling of surviving to thriving.
Reflecting on these points, all of these thoughts and ideas are connected to mindfulness.
There is one quote that I keep at the forefront of my mind, by Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh: “Freedom is not given to us by anyone; we have to cultivate it ourselves. It is a daily practice… No one can prevent you from being aware of each step you take or each breath in and breath out.” This is literally mindfulness. Mindfulness is really about having the ability to be fully present (which is something that we all have); however, it’s also about having the ability to access it. For me accessing mindfulness each and every day in order for me to feel like I’m living in a state of total wellness starts with the body; it involves taking time to pay attention to how I’m feeling mentally, emotionally and physically and how that all will come up – how I will then show up through my day as I navigate meetings, classes, parenting etc.
You might be saying “ok – but Sarah – WHAT can I be doing to practice mindfulness?” We all want that “application” and the “now what” of a concept; I’m totally that person and want to know what I can do to take that next step. Mindfulness is individual and needs to feel in integrity with who you are and what connects into you. For me – mindfulness looks like:
Journaling. I personally use the Takenote Journal to think about my feelings/emotions as I start the week / the day and through the day
Intentional Breathing. I’m the person who can feel myself getting anxious; I start clenching my jaw and start to bring my shoulders up to my ears. As I feel this happening – I start to tune into my breath and inhale for a count of 3 and exhale slowly for a count of 4. This tends to help me regroup and find calm.
Acceptance of myself: This has been a hard one for me, but after becoming a mom and returning to work from maternity leave it’s a realization that some days are better than others, and accepting that I’m not a superhero. This means being vulnerable and recognizing what can be put on hold and what can move forward.
Movement & Body Work: My movement used to look like hot yoga, weights and long spin classes. These days it looks like walks with the family and hanging out at the park! It means myofascial release, yoga, physiotherapy for those old rugby injuries and daily body scans to start my day! Find something that feels good for you; even if it’s 5 minutes!
Some days are simply a lot of breathing and surviving – but my goal each day is to notice where I’m at and thrive as best as I can in all the “hats” I’m wearing! I encourage you to think about mindfulness as being in the present and doing what is best for YOU; continue to notice how you feel, how you show up in your everyday life, and how this connects into your own feelings of total wellness.