Five ways to shift out of your COVID-19 mindset

We are about 6 months in to this radical change in our lives. Whether it feels like an eternity, or you can’t remember how the time passed so quickly, or a weird mix of both, let’s take a pause out of the COVID autopilot. I know personally, in the midst of this pandemic, social upheavals, racial injustice awakening, and upcoming elections, a lot of what I do day to day feels like it doesn’t matter on a grander scale. So here are five things to help us shift mindset in this dumpster fire of a year 💩.

🌿 Notice what’s not working 

Let’s start with a pause to really examine that last few months, what you were doing, and what wasn’t working. Did you feel like anxious, annoyed, or overwhelmed? Burnt-out? How intentional were you with your choices, or did you feel like you were moving on auto-pilot on most days? Take a moment to self-reflect. What were the things that helped you move forward, and what were the things that kept you in place? What were the things that you have control over (more below on that!) and what can you learn to accept.

🌿 Focus on what you can control

How annoyed do you get when you see someone not following the rules (e.g. social distancing) in the media or in real life? How frustrated do you get thinking about all the restrictions in place and things you cannot do this year? These may be small daily annoyances but they add up over time and THEY ARE DRAINING. By focusing on your own behavior and what you can control today, you can let go of so much cognitive load being spent on things you cannot change right now. 

🌿Take meaningful breaks from media 

Do you remember half the stories you read yesterday? Half the posts? Do they all help you contribute and engage meaningfully in your own life or is it a stream of continuous doom? It is ok to be strategic about when you’re getting your news/media and when you decide to put the phone down. It’s easy to get caught up in the need to stay informed, but notice how it’s affecting you. If you notice that you start feeling down, anxious, powerless or triggered by the news and notice that these feelings are persisting throughout the day, it may be time to reevaluate your media intake. Can you moderate the amount of time you’re spending? How about where you are getting your media—are certain sources more triggering? Or perhaps it would be helpful to take a break from media and instead have an open discussion of active issues with family and friends. Or if you’re feeling dejected or powerless in the current climate, get involved in your community and find ways that you can contribute to the solution.

Stay informed but don’t get flooded. 

🌿 Take stock in what energizes you

Re-introducing small things that bring you joy and energy are important to maintaining your well-being. Take stock in what you used to do pre-covid that would energize you that you’ve stopped. What stopped you? Is it just something you can’t do during the pandemic, like traveling, or it something that you fell off your priorities as you were in survival mode, like working out?

Now that most of us are settled into some semblance of a COVID routine, it’s a great time to start thinking of ways to bring back pieces of those areas we’ve neglected. If you can’t physically travel right now, what can you do to connect with that passion? Whether it’s planning a future dream trip, or organizing old travel photos, there are many ways to reconnect with our passions even if we can’t fully pursue them right now.

🌿 Start a gratitude practice 

Noticing all the privileges we still have amongst this pandemic can be incredibly uplifting. Although many of us have encountered unanticipated setbacks and disappointments this year, reframing our outlook to focus on what we are thankful for can really shift our mindset towards the positive and focusing on what we can control. And as we begin to notice what we are thankful for, we are able to build self-compassion and extend it on to others around us. If you have a journalling practice, perhaps use a gratitude prompt to think of 5 things you’re thankful for each time you journal. Or perhaps start a list of your gratitudes and remember to acknowledge and thank those people, things, or places when you encounter them in your daily life.