How can you be kind to yourself in lockdown?
I don’t know about you, but I am feeling the weight of a whole lot of ‘shoulds’ on my shoulders.
Should be tidying the house,
should be paying more attention to homeschooling,
should be marketing my business,
should tidy the garden,
should be learning more,
should be earning more,
should read a book,
should learn something new,
should cook more creatively,
should learn to make sourdough,
should volunteer more,
should write more,
should…should….should…should - insert your own here.
There’s also a whole lot of looking forward into the unknown. Of trying to consider the implications of lockdown on family, work, education. Or of trying to work out what’s for the best when we don’t even know what the future will look like.
Our brains can’t cope very well with so much uncertainty.
Our bodies aren’t doing brilliantly with the changing routines.
So why don’t we start with kindness?
This can feel like a big ask. But it can be incredibly helpful. Especially right now. When you notice the ‘shoulds’ creeping in, ask yourself, “What would you advise your best friend? Is that ‘should’ really necessary?” If the mental chatter is overwhelming, put your thoughts on paper and ask yourself whether these thoughts are actually true.
What counts as kindness towards yourself?
You have the answers here, not me.
Is it about nurturing yourself with rest, relaxation and early nights?
Is it about letting yourself off the homeschooling hook?
Is it about a duvet day? Is it about a solitary walk or run to gain some headspace?
Or is it about changing up those thoughts - from should to could?
From I ‘should tidy the kitchen’ to ‘I could tidy the kitchen’ - the ‘could’ adds an opportunity to create your own ending to that particular story.
I could….but I’m not going to.
I could….when I have time.
I could…..if I asked for help with the rest of my to-do list.
Do come and my Facebook group for more prompts to inspire you to be kind to yourself - come join the fun here https://www.facebook.com/groups/wildcountrywomen.
Or if you just need a deep breath try this 23 second audio to get you to take a deep breath break https://soundcloud.com/lesley-727752887/deep-breath/s-Mf0eiiVQpR5