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Many of us are experiencing the challenge of being told we have to stay physically apart from others in order to keep them and ourselves healthy. This physical distance is affecting every aspect of our lives including our mental and physical wellbeing. During this time we are also told we should stay connected even while staying at home. How can we do this? If you need a bit of support navigating staying connected below are a few suggestions.
Start with yourself
Consider how you can connect with yourself. Can you find a way to get a walk-in? Consider meditating, journaling, or working on a hobby. If you find that you are struggling with your mental health consider contacting your GP or Samaritans. Many of us are in need of a helping hand to work through the thoughts and feelings that are coming up with COVID-19. You are not alone, no matter what you are feeling. Trying to keep a stiff upper lip, keeping your struggles to yourself, is only going to make it harder for you to be able to carry on.
Consider those you see every day
This includes the family members we live with as well as the pets which keep us company. Sometimes we need to keep a close eye on those who are unable to communicate directly to us. For example, if you have cats, a cat litter that changes colors allows you to know how your pets are physically responding to everything that is happening around them.
It is also important we keep an eye on young children who might not know how to explain what they are feeling and may seem to be simply acting out. Also, we all have family members who we know struggle to express their feelings because they feel they have to maintain control, they don’t want to bother us with their struggles, or simply feel that for whatever reason they can’t be seen to be struggling. It is hard to ask for help so we need to have each other’s backs right now.
How you can support those in your wider community
Consider leaving a note for the postman. Consider calling a neighbour who is housebound and is all alone. Consider ordering food to be delivered to a single parent or widower you know. If you notice neighbours who seem to be struggling with feelings of brokenness or loneliness talk with your local organizations and faith communities to see if there are ways to connect them with groups designed to help. Remember that you know your neighbours and know which ones could use a bit of extra help and in what contexts they will accept that help.
Connecting to larger causes
As we all sit at home and limit our interactions connecting to causes is one way we can feel like we have a purpose for the duration of COVID-19. We all know the story of Captain Tom Moore who is walking laps in his garden to raise money for charity. Captain Moore shows that we all can commit to doing something for a larger cause. If fundraising is not your forte, you could sew masks, cook meals for healthcare workers, or simply organize events such as a drive-by birthday party for a young child.
As we are all spending more time apart it is vital we stay connected. Stay connected with ourselves and our families. Stay connected to our wider communities and to causes we care about. If we stay connected we will weather this storm like we have weathered many storms before.
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