2020 sure took an interesting turn. Our day to day lives have all been impacted by the current situation. This virus has a wide-spread effect on an individual, national and global level. The future is unknown. But this isn't news. We have always lived with uncertainty. Because of this, it is crucial that we to learn to live without fear of the future. Fear robs us of today's strength, it swallows up peace and it can blow things out of proportion. For the most part, we cannot control our circumstances. We can, however, work on having healthy mindsets that enable us to navigate the ups and downs of life.
- Write a list of times you've coped with uncertainty in the past
- Be mindful of how the news is impacting your mental health
- Shift your focus: spend time with family or doing something you love
A few moments from the past two weeks:
24/03/20: Just before we went into lockdown, my whānau had our last drive to the beach. There was a sense of calm along with a beautiful sunset. That week also involved my last trip to ‘physical’ church for a while (thankful for online church in the meantime).
28/03/20: Walks, weaving and my furry friend. I’ve been trying to balance my screen time with non digital activities. Weaving was perfect for this and was very therapeutic. Pets aren’t phased by the craziness of the world right now which is refreshing. On my walks I have noticed far more native birds including tui, piwakawaka and kingfishers.
31/03/20: Having time to create is a luxury. There have been quite a few evenings where I’ve put on a Spotify playlist, lit a candle, set out my art supplies and simply experimented with pencil and watercolour. My happy place.
1/4/20: Morning sunrise and an evening rainbow.
3/4/20: An isolation post wouldn’t be complete with a bit of teddy bear hunting. From penguins, to tigers, unicorns and gorillas, friendly faces are popping up all over my neighbourhood.
One little bear had a message for us all:
Kia Kaha,
Be strong.