8 Tips to Feel more relaxed during times of war, COVID, and Uncertainty
18 Aug 2022 HYN Himalayan Yoga Academy
After more than two years of the COVID pandemic, we all thought that things would gradually return to normal. However, unexpectedly and shockingly, we entered into war in Europe due to soaring energy prices and concern over unknowable repercussions. We are more prone than ever to worry, loneliness, depression, and anxiety. How do we manage the stress, tension, and negativity and force ourselves to find peace in the midst of the storm?
Here are some 8 tips for you to follow :
Be mindful not to overconsume news
Having an interest in current events and staying informed about human difficulties is acceptable, but if reading and watching the news takes up too much of your time, you’ll experience more despair, negativity, and confusion. The things you do and consume, whether they be media or food, have a profound impact on your life and being. Setting a daily defined duration of 15 minutes can help you limit your usage (preferably not immediately after you wake up and also not during the evening before you go to sleep). You will become more lonely, and afraid if you are exposed to too much external negativity and troubles.
Practice self-care
Every day, you must separate time for yourself and be there for yourself. Small behaviors can have a significant impact on your life. Consider this: you spend eight hours in the office or working, two hours on your phone, and two hours watching Netflix. But you are unable to fix one hour of daily self-care. You will experience greater self-worth, stability, and inner serenity after you practice self-care on a regular basis. Any activity that allows you to spend time by yourself counts as self-care (no phone, no friends, only YOU).
In the context of yoga, we like using this time to concentrate on our asana, meditation, or pranayama practice since we know that doing so will improve our health in the long run.
Eat nutritious food
We are what we eat, we cannot dispute that. You won’t feel as energized and intelligent if you eat junk food as you will if you stick to a sattvic (clean) diet. Eating food that has just been cooked seems to be far from a priority in modern society and the western globe. The majority of people often dine out without knowing how their food was made or what was within. Poor eating practices (what you eat and how you eat) result in several digestive system disruptions which is the key to our overall health. Be mindful of what you eat, and take time to meal your plans. Purchase high-quality fresh fruits and vegetables And spend time lovingly preparing your own food. You won’t go back to eating out every day if you set a goal for yourself to stick with it for a month because you can already feel the changes taking place in your body.
Limit Your Social Media Time
Every day, a typical user scrolls through social media for about 2.5 hours. Although it appears that social media unites us all, this is not the case. We can stay in touch with our friends and acquaintances, but, to be honest, most of the time, hours are squandered, we are exposed to negativity, we feel numb, or we compare our lives to the “ideal” lives of hours. This has an effect on us in that it makes us feel more isolated, down, detached from our own lives, and subtly impacted by everything we are exposed to. Try to keep your daily time spent on social media to no more than 30 minutes. Many phones and some apps can control this usage. You will be surprised how much better you feel when you use social media less, engage in more actual interactions, or concentrate on taking care of yourself.
Lean on Loved Ones Near You
To navigate these uncertain times, talk to your friends and family to help you get better. Especially if it`s through video call, You will feel more connected, as well as free and tranquil, by talking about your challenges, feelings, and thoughts with others and letting your emotions flow naturally without arguing. It’s not necessary for us to agree on everything or to get angry when someone behaves differently, but it is crucial for everyone to communicate and foster a feeling of community. We all desire a sense of belonging, and we are already interconnected.
Focus on the positives
How can one be positive in a world full of problems? Practice gratitude! Identify the people or things that make you joyful and count your blessings. Your mindset shifts to a more optimistic one when you remember and actively practice thankfulness. Additionally, placing yourself in another person’s position might increase your empathy and shift your perspective. Yes, it is annoying to be affected by high energy prices and restrictive travel policies, but consider the terrible level of fear that those who are now in a conflict zone must be experiencing.
Accept Uncertainty as it is
Life has always been unpredictable. Although we can influence some aspects of our lives, we can’t control everything. We must learn to take life as it comes and develop techniques for the uncertainty that life inevitably brings. Practice the methods to help you accept this and make peace with it.
Focus on your mental and physical Health
There has never been a more crucial time to concentrate on your physical and mental health. Many people ignore this completely, but if you can master your mind and body and develop a friendship with yourself through time, you can actually appreciate life with all of its highs and lows (everyone goes through this). Yoga is an old science that has been studied for a very long time. It has been demonstrated to assist you in finding mental peace, more stability, and endocrine system balance. It takes a comprehensive approach to health and subtly fosters well-being.