Pray, meditate and rest – this Covid-19 is a lot

There’s such a heaviness in the air.

Death, fear, job losses – all consuming, causing a sense of apprehension that humanity has not had to face in a long time.

More people are experiencing anxiety attacks due to what the world is going through. As much as this can be overwhelming especially for people with limited contact to family and friends, you are not alone in all this heaviness. It does not help that we are physically isolated from one another, which in itself presents fewer options for consolation.

Fortunately, there are a few things you can do on a daily basis to get your mind off things.

• Breathe (do your breathing exercises) take a walk...it doesn’t have to be a long walk. Do this in your yard. Please remember to breathe in deeply let your breath out slowly. Do this repeatedly standing or sitting in an upright position. This you can Google.

• Go back to your gratitude list re-write what you are grateful for. Count them out 1 by 1. Look for more to add.

• Do gardening, connect with nature. Walk barefoot on your grass, don’t wear gloves and work the soil with your hands. Let your bum touch the ground as you work the soil. Pick up your flowers, smell them.

• Please hydrate and get vitamin D, spent at least 20minutes on direct sunlight.

• Do your beauty routine ladies (facials, hair, nails, make-up) doll up. Take a long hot shower or bath or you can choose to be in your comfy lounge clothes.

• Go on social media fast for hours or even for a day. Identify your triggers and stay away from them.

• Pray, meditate and rest.

• Bless someone...

• Play with kids, let the inner child come out to play, these small people have healing and soothing powers.

• Go on and arrange your playlist, listen to some good music and dance. You can get that hymn book and sing from it as well.

• Dance like no one is watching.

Practice these regularly. When boredom strikes get in that long meeting with yourself.

It is absolutely okay if you don’t want to do anything, but do not fall into the trap and camp in the doing nothing space. Do one small, different task daily. Then celebrate that small win on that day. Then hug yourself.

Open your heart to love, forgiveness and kindness and free yourself from any more heaviness. Preserve your peace and sanity. Let other things go, you can’t carry more than what we going through now.

I cannot stress this enough. Breathe...breathe...breathe.

Maleshoane Tlhabang is an Organisational relationship Systems Coach. She assists clients with self-worth and empowerment assist clients to release fear, self-sabotage, childhood traumas and thoughts that hold them back from achieving their true potential.

She can be reached on 074 694 9326 for assistance or questions on dealing with anxiety.