If that headline sounds a bit bossy, I want you to know that I’m the last person on the planet to tell someone what they ‘need’ or ‘should’ do. In fact, I really dislike the word ‘should’. As a counsellor and therapeutic yoga teacher, I offer invitations to clients as we explore what ‘could’ be possible.
However, on this occasion, I’m telling you. You need an antidote! I’m not telling you what the antidote should be (although I have some good ideas), but I’m telling you that you need to find one. Here’s why.
Even before the COVID-19 crisis, our lives have been drifting further and further away from what nature intended. The way we structure our time has changed dramatically. We tend to only have ‘time confetti’ these days. A quick five minutes scrolling through social media, rather than investing quality uninterrupted time into the people and the things that we love. Our sense of belonging is off. Buildings are flying up all around us, it’s impossible to buy a house where we want to live and our jobs seem to demand more and more. Sometimes we want out but we don’t know where to go. And then there’s COVID. We are exhausted but how can that be? We haven’t even moved!
It is because our brains aren’t used to communicating on Zoom or Teams or Webex. Without face to face body language cues, we are having to work much harder to understand each other. We are trying to carry on and accept that this is the ‘new normal.’ But this is all far from normal and not an accurate portrayal of how we really are. We are worried. We are faking it. We are not OK.
There isn’t one magical cure to fix all of this. A vaccine would be a good start! But if we don’t get to know ourselves and actively seek out the things that help us to feel better, we are going to continue to feel inauthentic and anxious.
One of my antidotes is yoga. Not the crazy handstand stuff (although it’s a lot of fun) but slow, mindful, moving meditation. I shift anxiety out of my body and press the reset button. I also like to wander around in nature and make friends with animals! There are studies to show that all of these things are beneficial for our mental health, but the proof is in the doing!
So, what’s your antidote? Do you already know what you need to do but lack motivation? Or ‘could’ you benefit from experimenting? Getting curious about what helps you to feel more peaceful and at home in your own skin. If you want to explore your antidote, get in touch for a free counselling consultation on Zoom. Or come and try out some yoga on a Wednesday or Friday at 8am.
June Workshops
Thursday 25th June 6-8pm – Yoga and Meditatation in Therapy
Monday 29th June 7pm – ‘Feel Good Parenting’ FREE Facebook Live
Wednesdays and Fridays 8am – Yoga for Therapists, Helpers and Healers
