Post Election Recovery Guide

This has been a difficult week for more than half of the nation and a lot of the world. There are many that are in a phase of grief and mourning. Collectively mourning a loss certainly is in fact a very personal experience.

There is high emotion surrounding the hope that was placed on the outcome of this election cycle. That emotion does not disappear, it has now been turned into vast amounts of anxiety for a lot of people. Your feelings are real, your emotions are real. What you are experiencing is real. Take the time to grieve if you must, take time off if you must and most importantly, take care of yourself.

There is a lot of fear for the future, and that fear can be paralyzing for some. Make a plan if you can, then return to the here and now, grounding in the present moment can help alleviate some of the fear and anxiety for the future. Practice this several times a day if necessary.

A lot of you are also feeling a loss of control. Attempt to focus on things you can control. Participate in a group activity. Identify one or two small things you can do for yourself, create a self care routine and do some of those things. Connect with your community, they can be a great source of grounding, strength, care and coping. You are not alone. Know your strengths and resiliency for the future.

Track your media usage, stop completely if you must for a while. Ask yourself how it is making you feel after you use it. Filter usage between positive and current events, there are many positive things also happening in the world- be proactive about reminding yourself of that.

Lastly, we do not choose our circumstances all the time, but we can choose how we best respond to them. We can make a commitment to ourselves and each other regarding how we want to be in this world.

We have provided a few links for stress management and self care below:

A new photo of a kitten, every time you refresh: http://www.emergencykitten.com/

6 GIFs to help you relax: http://www.destressmonday.org/6-gifs-help-relax/

Self Compassion Guided Meditation & Exercises: http://self-compassion.org/category/exercises/

Grounding exercises: http://self-compassion.org/category/exercises/

Put your stressful thought in a star and watch it float away: http://www.pixelthoughts.co/#

Song about meditation and letting go: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rds7V5Sxu-4

Tools for self care and community care: http://alp.org/breaking-isolation-self-care-and-community-care-tools-our-people

50 Ways to Self Care: http://www.thirteenthoughts.com/50-ways-to-practice-self-care/how-to-practice-self-care-3/

Practicing Mindfulness

Living in the here and now - mindfulness in a nutshell. This week we will focus (pun-intended) on Mindfulness. Yes, mindfulness, the new, hot and trendy, wellness technique. The great thing about it however, is that it works, it truly does! And, there is plenty of data to back it up, not only in neurosciences research again and again, but also thousands of years of practice in the Eastern world. 

We will share some daily mindfulness techniques to utilize in your already set schedules. The fantastic thing about this practice is that it is very easy to implement into one's life. Some of the following techniques have been adopted from this resource:  

Mindfulness in Your Morning Routine

Pick an activity that constitutes as a part of your daily routine, such as brushing your teeth, shaving or taking a shower. When you do the activity, totally focus on what you are doing, the body movements, the taste, the touch, the sounds, the smells, the sight, etc. The idea is to involve all of your sense and fully experience the activity with them all with awareness. 

When thoughts arise, acknowledge them, let them be, and bring your attention back to the activity. Again and again, your attention will wander, when this occurs and as soon as you realize this has happened, acknowledge it, note what distracted you, and bring your attention back to the activity. 

Mindful Eating

For those looking to cultivate an awareness of how food and drink might make you feel, both physically and emotionally, and break free of unhealthy eating habits.

At Mealtimes: Prepare your meal as you normally would. Turn off all distractions, no mobile phone notifications, no TV, no laptop to distract you from your meal. Set your table with care and include a candle in your arrangement. Set your meal before you. Before you begin to eat, light the candle, if possible.  

Spend a moment in contemplation of the meal you are about to consume. Where have all the ingredients come from? Why have you selected them? How do you think this meal will make you feel? Does it have emotional significance to you? When you are halfway through your meal, pause for a moment and allow yourself a rest. How do you feel? When you have finished your meal, allow yourself a moment to feel grateful for the food you have eaten. When you are finished with your contemplation, blow out the candle.  

Mindfulness of Domestic Chores

 

Pick an activity such as ironing clothes, washing dishes, vacuuming floors, and do it mindfully.

For example, when ironing clothes: notice the color and shape of the clothing, and the pattern made by the creases, and the new pattern as the creases disappear. Notice the hiss of the steam, the creak of the ironing board, the faint sound of the iron moving over the material. Notice the grip of your hand on the iron, and the movement of your arm and your shoulder. 

 

If boredom or frustration arises, simply acknowledge it, and bring your attention back to the task at hand. When thoughts arise, acknowledge them, let them be, and bring your attention back to what you are doing.  Again and again, your attention will wander. As soon as you realize this has happened, gently acknowledge it, note what distracted you, and bring your attention back to your current activity. 

Simple, everyday activities can be done in a mindful manner. With time and practice, leading up to more mindful living. 

 

“Keeping one’s consciousness alive to the present reality” -Thich Nath Hanh