For the past year and a half, we have been witness to the devastating power of Covid-19 and its impact on every aspect of our lives. Even though we have progress in sight, many are heading back out into the world unsure of what to expect and how to adapt to the “new normal” of a post-pandemic society.
Mindfulness
Amelia Vogler, grounding expert and energy medicine specialist, highlights how this “new normal” is impacting our overall mind-body-soul wellbeing in monumental ways:
“As we arrive individually and collectively into a new normal, our mental resilience is waning, and many of us are feeling mentally unmoored and ungrounded. We are in a cycle of restoration and renewal as we create new fixtures of mental resilience,” says Amelia Vogler.
This new cycle can feel daunting and overwhelming at times... impacting our mental and physical health in ways we never imagined. However, there are simple, natural ways to help restore and improve your mental, physical and spiritual health during this time, says Amelia:
“Mindfulness, or the practice of watching your thoughts or feelings without judgment, creates the awareness needed to enact meaningful change in your life. Grounding practices seed empowerment, stability and give you access to additional creativity and inspiration. When practiced together, mindfulness allows you to identify what needs shifting, and grounding provides the power and perspective needed to see these changes through in your life.”
Here are Amelia’s top 3 mindfulness tips to help improve mental wellbeing amidst this “new normal”:
TIP #1:Follow your breath to the present moment When we are mentally burdened or overwhelmed, our mind can race and our thoughts flow in an ungrounded and uncontrolled manner. This is your mind trying desperately to create solutions. When you notice that the speed of your mind is starting to increase, take a moment and place your palms on your chest and breathe. As you breathe, follow your attention to the rise and fall of your chest under the presence of your familiar breath. With these intentional breaths and your refocused attention, allow the speed of your mind to naturally slow until you feel one with the present moment. It is in the present moment where you are most safe, secure, and available for creative problem solving to flow through you.
TIP #2: Laugh I know a very dumb joke that makes me smile every time. If that doesn’t do it, I think about that time that I walked right into a metal pole in NYC! Oh my goodness, I had about 10 people ask me if I was okay! Queue up a picture or a joke or a memory that elicits humor and laughter. (Or, think of me running into that really BIG pole!) Laughter is strong medicine for shifting worry to joy and keeping you connected to happiness as a foundation for the new you are creating.
TIP #3: Be Compassionate to Yourself & OthersYou can’t change what you can’t see; but, as you mindfully scan and reflect on your life, do so with kindness and compassion. Borrow your best friend’s perspective, and invoke their gentle and loving perspective... you will be able to bring more self-love to your practice of mindful awareness and it will be easier for you to not judge yourself so harshly.