Great Self-Care

Great Self-Care

Dear Friends,

This morning, I left my cell phone at home when I headed for the office. Then, I dropped my wallet and all the credit cards spilled into the parking lot. I had a 10:00 appointment scheduled, but my client “ghosted me”. It turns out she made a mistake. When I went to buy paper towels to sanitize my office, Safeway didn’t have any, so I paid $7.00 for two rolls at Office Depot. Then, some nasty person honked at me as I was simply backing out. His car was 12 feet away from mine. I jumped in my car seat.

It is clear that today I am not quite centered, not quite present. Whether we realize it or not, we are all experiencing a GREAT LOSS right now. Loss? Why loss, you may ask?

There are certain things we know as losses—
-Someone we love passes
-We lose a job
-Our lover leaves us

These losses are obvious. We expect a period of grief and instability. But, there are also “Limbo Losses” when uncertainty reigns.

In the past, Limbo Losses were—
-Waiting for medical tests
-Putting your house on the market
-An unresolved lawsuit
-Being on the brink of divorce for the fourteenth time

The global pandemic of Covid-19 is a GIGANTIC Limbo Loss.

The stock market has dropped more than 25%. Countries are quarantining whole populations. We are being asked to shelter in place. There is no toilet paper available anywhere.

As a result, we are glued to the news for new information. The experts don’t agree, so we don’t know what to believe. Our government leaders have been acting like children on a playground. Conspiracy theories are everywhere. Global powers are blaming each other.

In my own life, many appointments have cancelled and there are no new bookings. My roommate, a traveling business trainer, has been sent home to await further notice. My son was scheduled for his last interview for his dream job with the National Guard, but all military travel has been cancelled. My best friend’s daughter just cancelled her May wedding.

What is going to happen to our finances? Our businesses? Our economy? Our loved ones? Everything is at risk.

We want to panic. But we don’t. We take a deep breath and do what is in front of us to do. No one knows what is going to happen. We stay calm and carry on.

Except, we are not really calm.

Like me, you may be experiencing some subtle signs of stress because of the unprecedented uncertainty we are experiencing as a nation. Fear and stress are not always expressed in a scream. Instead, you or someone else you know, may have the following reactions:

—Sleeping poorly
—Making more mistakes
—Feeling edgy
—Being more forgetful than usual
—Having trouble concentrating
—Being abrupt or adamant
—Denying how you are really feeling
—Sleeping more
—Eating, drinking or smoking more than usual
—Watching the news non-stop
—Being overly critical of others
—Feeling like giving up
—Feeling suicidal

I help people heal their anxiety for a living; but right now, I too, am having trouble taming mine.

The one thing I refuse to do, is beat up on myself and make it worse. Loving Kindness starts with being kind to myself first.

If you are experiencing any of the above stress reactions, give yourself a break. Try not to be critical of yourself. Change your self-talk. Try things like: “Of course, I’m a little preoccupied. The whole world is at the moment”.

Practice really good self-care. Do the things that make you happy. Turn your attention away from the trauma as much as possible. Stay in the present moment. Meditate. Pray. Exercise. Be kind to yourself. Cut others some slack. Find a way to do something for someone else.

No matter what happens, we will get to the other side.

We’ll do it like we do everything else—One Day at A Time—and United.

Now, I’m going back home to get my cell phone!

Cynthia Beck, Master Hypnotist, shares powerful sessions with Sedona Self-Love Retreat clients.