We are all in uncharted territory right now and I think it's safe to say, most of us are feeling bored, lost, hopeless, uneasy and unsure. Usually, we can see our friends and do fun things to distract from such unpleasant feelings, but here we are, stuck at home, unable to see anyone besides our immediate family. Without any of us knowing how long that will last, we need to find ways to all get through these trying times. Though no matter what you do won't bring back your normalcy until this is all over, it can help you cope and maybe even learn new skills. So when you're feeling down and isolated, take a look at these tips and see if it may help!
1. During this, know that your anxiety is completely normal
Anxiety is our bodies response to alert us of a threat or unsafe situation. Right now, it's going to help you make decisions to keep you and others safe like social distancing and hand washing. Although these feelings are normal and felt by many others, it's still important to talk about them with your family or other supportive adults in your life so you're not bottling them up.
2. Create Distractions
In dealing with difficult situations such as what we are currently facing, it's helpful to divide the problem into two categories. Things I can do something about and things I can do nothing about. Right now, I know a lot falls into that second category, but one thing that can help is creating distractions for ourselves. At the end of this blog, I encourage you to share something you've been doing that has been a good distraction. Maybe you'll give someone else a great new idea or read an idea you want to try yourself!
3. Find new ways to connect with your friends
Earlier this year and in the past, you've probably heard how social media has taken over and how you need to disconnect. Well, we are faced with a very different situation now where social media can be a huge asset to connect with friends you're missing. Join Houseparty and play games with your friends. Join a Tik Tok challenge like #safehands. Have friends send you a clip of them dancing and lip syncing all to the same song and make a video putting all the clips together. Get creative and have fun!
4. Focus on You
This is a great time to try something you've been wanting to. Have you wanted to learn how to draw? There are some really good YouTube videos to help you learn. Wanting to make a sports or dance team? You can absolutely practice or condition at home. Reach out to a current coach for things you can do at home or find some things on YouTube that you can work on to perfect your skill.
5. Acknowledge your Feelings
You have every right to feel disappointed by missing out on things you were looking forward to or milestones you won't be able to experience. So what's the best way to deal with these disappointments? Let yourself feel it. Feel sad, feel mad, tune into your feelings and don't feel ashamed of them. Everyone will process their feelings differently. As long as you are not hurting yourself or someone else, process your feelings however it works for you. Don't close people out though. Talk about your feelings with your parents, friends or a trusted adult and then problem solve how you can work through those feelings to feel better.
6. Be kind to yourself and others
Take care of yourself. If you're feeling overwhelmed with e learning, take a break. Advocate for yourself by asking your teachers questions and asking for help. Do something you enjoy doing. Try baking a cake, make a positivity board on Pinterest with uplifting quotes, things you want to try, places you want to go, etc. Journal your feelings, draw, do a puzzle, color, do a Tik Tok video, etc. Isolation can also make us crabby though and with that, sometimes we feel the need to attack others. Remember, the feelings you may be feeling, loneliness, isolation, sadness, etc, others are feeling as well and the last thing they need is to be bullied. Channel your energy into acts of kindness. Think about how good it feels to lift up a friend's mood. It can be something simple like sending them an old picture of a past memory you had or sharing a funny YouTube video you saw. If you know someone is feeling down, Facetime them and figure out something you can do together (learn a dance, do homework together, write a song together). I promise you, the feeling of lifting someone up outweighs the feeling of bringing someone down SIGNIFICANTLY. I'd love to hear of some ways you have done this or plan to do this in the comments below.
Please know that your teachers, counselors, social workers and all our staff are still here for you. You are not alone in your feelings, I promise you. Do the best you can, we all know this is an extremely difficult time. Let us know what we can do for you!
1. During this, know that your anxiety is completely normal
Anxiety is our bodies response to alert us of a threat or unsafe situation. Right now, it's going to help you make decisions to keep you and others safe like social distancing and hand washing. Although these feelings are normal and felt by many others, it's still important to talk about them with your family or other supportive adults in your life so you're not bottling them up.
2. Create Distractions
In dealing with difficult situations such as what we are currently facing, it's helpful to divide the problem into two categories. Things I can do something about and things I can do nothing about. Right now, I know a lot falls into that second category, but one thing that can help is creating distractions for ourselves. At the end of this blog, I encourage you to share something you've been doing that has been a good distraction. Maybe you'll give someone else a great new idea or read an idea you want to try yourself!
3. Find new ways to connect with your friends
Earlier this year and in the past, you've probably heard how social media has taken over and how you need to disconnect. Well, we are faced with a very different situation now where social media can be a huge asset to connect with friends you're missing. Join Houseparty and play games with your friends. Join a Tik Tok challenge like #safehands. Have friends send you a clip of them dancing and lip syncing all to the same song and make a video putting all the clips together. Get creative and have fun!
4. Focus on You
This is a great time to try something you've been wanting to. Have you wanted to learn how to draw? There are some really good YouTube videos to help you learn. Wanting to make a sports or dance team? You can absolutely practice or condition at home. Reach out to a current coach for things you can do at home or find some things on YouTube that you can work on to perfect your skill.
5. Acknowledge your Feelings
You have every right to feel disappointed by missing out on things you were looking forward to or milestones you won't be able to experience. So what's the best way to deal with these disappointments? Let yourself feel it. Feel sad, feel mad, tune into your feelings and don't feel ashamed of them. Everyone will process their feelings differently. As long as you are not hurting yourself or someone else, process your feelings however it works for you. Don't close people out though. Talk about your feelings with your parents, friends or a trusted adult and then problem solve how you can work through those feelings to feel better.
6. Be kind to yourself and others
Take care of yourself. If you're feeling overwhelmed with e learning, take a break. Advocate for yourself by asking your teachers questions and asking for help. Do something you enjoy doing. Try baking a cake, make a positivity board on Pinterest with uplifting quotes, things you want to try, places you want to go, etc. Journal your feelings, draw, do a puzzle, color, do a Tik Tok video, etc. Isolation can also make us crabby though and with that, sometimes we feel the need to attack others. Remember, the feelings you may be feeling, loneliness, isolation, sadness, etc, others are feeling as well and the last thing they need is to be bullied. Channel your energy into acts of kindness. Think about how good it feels to lift up a friend's mood. It can be something simple like sending them an old picture of a past memory you had or sharing a funny YouTube video you saw. If you know someone is feeling down, Facetime them and figure out something you can do together (learn a dance, do homework together, write a song together). I promise you, the feeling of lifting someone up outweighs the feeling of bringing someone down SIGNIFICANTLY. I'd love to hear of some ways you have done this or plan to do this in the comments below.
Please know that your teachers, counselors, social workers and all our staff are still here for you. You are not alone in your feelings, I promise you. Do the best you can, we all know this is an extremely difficult time. Let us know what we can do for you!