Back to Blog overview

The 2020 Pandemic Rut

It’s been a crazy year – pandemic, fires, protests, riots, hurricanes and more. Some people have lost their jobs or taken pay cuts with no idea of how or when they will get that money back.  We have leaders who are untrustworthy and have instilled a sense of mistrust in its peoples that runs so deep as to cause a backlash of some interesting conspiracy theories. Not knowing what’s true anymore is just an added stress that could have been avoided by direct truths. Truly these are stressful times and the 2020 Pandemic rut is real.

What do I mean by the 2020 Pandemic Rut? Well, I think it’s like a wave that has hit each of us at differently. Not everyone has lost jobs or income, for some they continue with their jobs financially untouched but they are still touched by the fear of it all. To have to work from home with the distractions of kids yelling, having to homeschool them or a perhaps a spouse interrupting often for whatnot can be intensely stressful too. Not to mention, the mental health breakdowns, suicide calls that have increased and or domestic violence backlash from families staying home under such stressful situations. I personally know of a family who had one parent have a mental breakdown and have now separated, thereby increasing the financial stress and the home life future uncertainties.

At times you may feel you are being productive and have it all under control but then another innocuous thing happens and the 2020 Pandemic rut creeps back up into your whole being, possibly having a day, a week or a month long ‘what’s the point’ feeling and waiting for the next shoe to drop. Depending on what state or country you reside in can make those feelings even more intensified. I’m a pretty optimistic realist but I’ve definitely had my days during the 2020 Pandemic Rut.

So what can we do to stay positive and not get too overwhelmed by it all? For me it’s always movement and nature. Those 2 things help me to keep my body and thoughts in alignment with my spirit and to stay positive. I have my days when my thoughts aren’t as positive but these things help me to spend less time in that rut. Below are my top 5 things to help you from going down the dark hole of the 2020 Pandemic Rut.

 

5 habits to help you stay positive

1. Exercise – Move your body whether it is inside your house, with your trainer or at a gym…be sure to get some type of exercise in daily. You don’t always have to do a high intense workout either. You can just do some mobility and stretch if that’s all you have energy for.
2. Nature – get outside as much as possible and into nature. Take a walk or just sit under a tree and listen to the leaves and wind. If you live in a cold climate it may be harder to do but try to even if for a few minutes.
3. Meditation – now this one isn’t always the easiest for me. I would rather being doing something physical than sitting in silence but I will say that it does help. I still haven’t worked up to more than maybe 20 minutes and, I tend to fall asleep at times but I still find that it helps my mind/body and spirit to connect and let go of the little things in my mind that I may have gotten stuck on.
4. Sleep – Ah, sleep, one of my favorites! You’ve heard me say it before, sleep is when you repair and recover so don’t underestimate the power of sleep.
5. Water – yes, that’s right staying hydrated can help you to stay positive. You’re probably wondering how that’s possible…well the body is made up of 75% or more of water. When you are dehydrated it saps your energy and makes you feel down, tired and worn out which can have a negative effect on your mood. So, stay hydrated!

So there you have it, none of these 5 habits are revolutionary or different from the advice I give to clients, friends or family members. But, they are very important to healthy living and having a more positive outlook on life. Whatever the external circumstances in our environment may be the internal mental one is all we really have control over. How we think, act and how we create positive ripples in our community can go a long way to not only help others but in helping ourselves as well.

You know, I’ve never lived anywhere longer than about 7 years and I’ve started over quite a few times, feeling like I’ve lived a few lifetimes already. I have struggled with finances, relationships, business, friendships, networking and more. During the housing and financial collapse of 2008 I was hit hard and it took years to get back on my feet. It was rough, I didn’t know how I was going to pay my rent at times and didn’t want to rely on my family for it either. I had so many skills, a degree and had worked in many industries but still, there were no jobs that paid much and, nobody was hiring. Through it all though, I told myself that I needed to figure it out. I made sure to continue with my exercise regime because it always helped me in so many ways and to always spend time in nature.

Eventually, things started to come back and with my perseverance and open minded optimism I was open to opportunities that presented themselves. I learned and grew a lot during those hard years but the one thing that really kept me on track was the discipline I had for working out. I am grateful for that habit I formed long ago and that I feel and see the benefits of it. It is another reason I so vehemently tell others to find some form of movement you love to do and do it on a regular basis. We all need an outlet and a way to connect to our inner spirit, to release the frustrations and to feel strong even when everything around us feels broken.  After all our thoughts are our reality so let’s try to make them more positive in the new year.

---