How to Survive and Thrive During Chaos!
One week to go in February! Man, it’s flying by!
As part of our weekly newsletter, each week for the foreseeable future we are hitting on a topic as part of our Wellness Wednesday Facebook Live Series.
Now, if there isn’t a better time to work more on your health than now, I don’t know what that time looks like.
The past 11 or so months have seen our worlds turned upside down. However, we are still standing.
Going out, daily activities, school, seeing friends and family, vacations, wearing a mask everywhere. Literally, everything has changed during this pandemic.
Unfortunately, depression and suicide rates are higher and electronic use and social media time has increased substantially. None of these are good for your health.
According to a study by the National Science Foundation, the average person has between 12-60 thousand thoughts per day and 80% of those are negative.
I’d be willing to bet that number is even higher now with so much fear and negativity swirling around.
It doesn’t have to be that way though.
If you’re feeling stressed, have anxiety, or your mental health is struggling, there are ways to deal with it.
First, see a therapist or talk to someone.
Second, want to know what can help reduce that?
EXERCISE!
Before you read any further and make an excuse, I’ve implemented something from Jon Gordon’s “The No-Complaining Rule”:
Gyms aren’t safe. Initially, gyms were thought to be a place of high transmission based on a spin studio in Toronto and a dance class in South Korea having transmitted COVID-19 to participants. Due to physical distancing and cleaning protocols, in a study done by IHRSA and MXM, gyms in the US had an infection rate of .0023%.
I still don’t feel safe at the gym. We completely get that and that’s a normal feeling despite the statistics. The great news is you have options. We have online programming at Adam Clark Fitness and many other gyms do as well. In addition, there are big companies like Peloton and Nordictrack dominating the home workout space. There are apps and online communities to keep you going.
I don’t like working out at home because I’m not held accountable. Accountability is everything and you can certainly come to the gym. At ACF, we pride ourselves on community, support, and accountability. Don’t want to work out at home or go to the gym? Get outside in nature! No safer place and more refreshing than that!
I don’t know where to start. Start by doing something. Go for a walk, take a set of stairs, do a set of push-ups. Nothing happens overnight and we are wired to make excuses but results only happen when you take action.
We must continue to work on our mental and physical health and exercise and finding a community of support is what you need most.
Want to take it a step further? Here are five strategies to get through the pandemic and become stronger physically and mentally:
Turn Off The F’ing News - Unless you’re a reporter, you do not need to watch every single daily briefing. Be informed but what do you think happens to your brain if you have the CDC briefing each day or the 24/7 news network talking about people dying, businesses shutting down and problems all over the world. It instills fear in you and then you go down this negative path.
Limit Social Media Time - Social media can be a great thing but it can also be a total time suck. What do you actually accomplish on social media? Absolutely nothing. Not only is it bad for your body and mind being on devices all of the time but there is a lot of misinformation out there. If you’re one of those people constantly sharing articles and things like that, just stop.
Feed Your Mind With The Good Stuff - There is so much good stuff to enrich your mind with and a lot of it is free. From podcasts to books to YouTube videos, you name it and it’s out there.
Be Safely Social - Crawling into a hole is bad for your mental health. Humans crave interaction and there is a safe way to be social. Connect online or connect outside. You do not have to shut yourself off from the world.
Exercise - Exercise comes in so many different forms. If you’re not a gym person, that’s perfectly fine. Go for a walk, play a sport, do something physical. Your body needs that and besides, have you ever been “I regret working out today” after an exercise session? Of course you haven’t.
Use Your Time Wisely - Outdoor projects, house projects, organizing, the list goes on. If you are not able to go places, make the most of it. If there is one positive, the pandemic has forced us to slow down.
Do The Best You Can - This isn’t easy. There are days when you feel overwhelmed but you are not alone. Do the best you can. Stay in touch with people. Continue to adapt and you will get through this.
I hope those strategies helped and once again if you didn’t get a chance to listen to Noah and I’s conversation, check it out here.