At some point, even homebodies will find that staying at home and restricted movement will find themselves bearing the suffocating effects of being cut off from the world during the MCO. As social creatures, this lack of human connection and the lock on freedom is a recipe for declining mental and emotional health.
While normal life itself already presents its own fair share of challenges, the Covid-19 pandemic and resulting MCO threw everyone’s lives into another dimension of chaos. Within a year it has become too easy to fall into what seems like an endless cycle of anxiety, despair, hopelessness, and stress – and the worst news? We can’t control it.
And that’s why, to Nadia, the founder of Moon & Soul, we should place priority on our mental health more than ever. Instead of dwelling on the ‘what ifs’ of the uncertain future, she instead points to what we can control – which is how we react to all the disarray, and how being mindful plays a crucial part in keeping our mental health in one piece.
“Being mindful and being present puts you in a state of mind where you are able to make decisions from a place of calm instead of fear, and that is so, so important at a time like this,” she expresses.
In the spirit of staying strong both phyiscally and mentally, here are Nadia’s top five tips to staying mindful (and sane) as we brave this next wave of MCO.
Stay present
“It can be so tempting in these times to worry about things that are uncertain and out of your control, but when you do this you’re trying to live in the future, and it can become overwhelming because nobody knows for sure what will happen. Whenever this happens, remind yourself to focus on the here and now.”
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Small habit changes such as regulating or limiting your media exposure can do wonders in alleviating some of your worries. This can help you focus on what matters most, and stop you from comparing your lives with those of others.
Breathe
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“It’s not just about your natural breath, but intentional breathing exercises work wonders to introduce calm. The simplest way would be to inhale through the nose, allow your breath to travel all the way down to the belly, and exhale through your mouth like a big sigh. Another amazing technique is what they call the 4-8 breathing technique. Inhale through the nose for four counts, and exhale for eight counts. It can be difficult to hold your breath or inhale deeply in the beginning, or when you’re extremely stressed, but go at your own pace.”
Write it out
When all feels chaotic, messy, and uncontrollable, take the emotions you feel about those things and jot them down. Not only will this reintroduce some form of control and organisation into your life, it also gives you the time and space to truly think through what you’re feeling and how you to rise above any negativity.
“It doesn’t matter what it is, but writing down whatever it is that is on your mind allows you to transfer those thoughts onto paper and you can actually see what thought patterns are there. After you dump all of it on paper, go through what you’ve written and highlight the key things that stand out to you. It will give you a chance to introspect on what the core of these overwhelming thoughts actually are.”
Practice gratitude
“Even if it gets difficult, try to find just one thing a day to be grateful for. It doesn’t even have to be anything major, you have the ability to find joy anywhere and in anything. Allow your practice of gratitude to remind you that your life is worth living.”
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Be kind to yourself
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“Let yourself rest if you need rest. Don’t beat yourself up if you’ve ordered GrabFood for the 5th time today. Want to binge the entire season of Bridgerton in a day? Go for it without judging yourself. Taking just 30 minutes a day to do only things that you want to do, you are honouring yourself and what you want, and it is one of the highest forms of self care out there, yet it’s so, so simple.”
Photos by Moon & Soul unless otherwise stated.