When is it ever going to end? Ongoing pandemic fatigue and the cost to our health of the ongoing stress is starting to show all over the world.
Are you noticing symptoms like
- fatigue
- irritability
- lack of motivation
- finding it hard to concentrate
- withdrawing from activities
- hopelessness
- helplessness
- changes in sleep
- changes in diet
Ongoing stress affects every major system in your body. And the toll it takes on our mental and emotional health is enormous.
Here are some coping strategies for you to consider.
1. Know How Stress Shows Up for You
It is essential to know how stress shows up for you.
One of the most sobering statistic I have ever seen is that 70% to 90% of ALL doctors’ visits are rooted in stress. Yet only 3% of those visits were made because of a concern about stress.
So many of us just don’t know how stress is showing up in our body and mind. The more you are familiar with early signs, the more you are empowered to support your health and well-being.
Here is a link to our 25 question, 5 minute stress test on our website. This will give you a benchmark for where you are today and some insight to how stress is showing up for you from the types of questions you are responding to.
2. Self-Care is Essential
What are you doing for your own self-care?
Some of my favorites that are helping to sustain me right now are:
- walks and stretching
- mindfulness
- daily gratitude practice
- daily mantra meditation practice
- working with my sound tools to create relaxation and harmony
- playing music that inspires me
- enjoying some time with my favorite crafts
- weekly connection with my family
- regular chats with friends
If you find that you can use a few more strategies on your self-care list, here is a link to our Sound Self Care Guide for a few more ideas:
If you prefer video, here is the link to our video series, Sound Self Care on our YouTube Channel:
3. What Feeds Your Soul?
How do you touch your soul? How does your soul touch you?
Spiritual wellbeing is where you access peace, bliss, love, compassion, joy and all of the highest qualities of what it means to be human. Spiritual wellness is that place of peace and purpose within that gives you the grace to handle whatever challenges and joys life brings your way.
You can never lose these qualities. They are a permanent part of your being!
But you can lose touch with these crucial parts of yourself – especially if you get too caught up in the busyness or worries of life.
So what to do?
Here are a few tips on how to reconnect.
1. Hum a favorite tune or just hum
Sound is one of the most powerful ways to reconnect to your spiritual self, especially the sound of your own voice. Your spirit or soul thrives on harmony and always motivates you in one way or another, through illness or angst, to return to this state of harmony.
2. Take a few deep breaths and reconnect with the present moment.
Your spiritual self thrives when you are living your life in the moment. Here you access presence, authenticity and compassion and so much more. Mindfulness is a practice that helps you to stay in the present moment.
3. Meditation or prayer
Meditation is a wonderful way to reconnect and strengthen your spiritual self. So is Prayer.
4. Movement
Movement practices like yoga, chi gong, tai chi, and others feed your body and spiritual connection.
5. Reflection
Reflection on your values, beliefs and purpose is spiritual self-care that also strengthens and brings clarity.
I encourage you to search out ways to connect with your spiritual self that have meaning for you. This is essential to your overall health and wellbeing.
So – Are we there yet?
Through the soul’s eyes you never left.
In Health and Harmony,
AUTHOR BIO
Sharon Carne is an author, speaker, musician, recording artist, sound healer, Reiki master and consultant. Sharon is the founder of Sound Wellness and the Sound Wellness Institute. Through the Sound Wellness Institute, holistic health practitioners receive the highest level of competency training in using sound and music to support their practice. Sound Wellness programs are at the forefront of education in how sound and music can be easily applied to your everyday life – to reduce stress, help you concentrate, energize you, inspire you and support your health. www.soundwellness.com