Today, there are things happening in our world that are simply beyond our control—and it can be anxiety-producing. But if we try to look at this situation from more than one perspective, we can see that there are still plenty of things we can control.
Jack Canfield, bestselling co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, suggests looking at it on a ratings scale. He says that on a scale of 1-10—with 1 being “not at all in control” and 10 being “completely in control,” many of us would probably answer “5” or less these days. But Canfield reminds us that, even if we’re “stuck at home, worried about our future” we can still maintain some control over our lives, particularly on a daily basis. We can use our time to create a more pleasant working environment. We can finish up those little home projects that have been on our backburners for years. We can initiate conversations we’ve been putting off, he says, and reconnect with people we love; ask customers, clients, and bosses for feedback on how to improve our performance.
What are some other ways we can take the focus off of what we can’t control, and put our time and energy to better use?
We can look through magazines and cut out pictures of things we’d like to include in our futures and make a dream board with them—home décor (or maybe a new home), a vacation, books we want to read, and anything beautiful that makes you feel inspired.
We can gather up things around the house that we no longer use or love and think of a better purpose for them: donate them to someone in need or sell them for extra cash.
We can maintain or improve our diets so that we’re feeling the best we can, physically.
We can also dedicate a few minutes every day to quiet time, meditation, or prayer, to practice breathing slowly and focusing on the moment instead of the future.
And remember … Insights understands the fear and concern surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak and are committed to doing all we can to stay connected and keep you and your family mentally and emotionally healthy. We are now offering Telehealth sessions for your safety and ours.
We’re here for you. And we will get through this. Together, we can do hard things.