Keeping Sane During Covid Times

A few days back, I was having a conversation with an old friend. She was depressed and didn't know what to do to feel better during such a time. I think each one of us has faced the same issue at some point or another during these last few months. 

It's an insanely difficult and unsettled time for sure. I am well aware that it must be a lot harder for people who have found themselves in the thick of things. My prayers go out to them. I hope the misfortunes will pass very soon.

I for one, have not really found myself in as difficult a situation as some others have. But trust me when I tell you this--my life so far hasn't been a smooth ride in an SUV either. I have had my share of troubles and difficulties and the only way it has helped me, is that it has made me a bit more resilient and not super sensitive to life. Take it as you may, but I do believe that being a little aloof helps in keeping your mind straight. Obviously, I am not advocating a complete transition into a robot...but you know what I mean.

So, I thought I'd share a few tips on how I am staying sane in COVID times. Some of them may work for you and some will not. It's important to decide what suits you, before adopting any particular way of thinking.

                                                                      

Here are a few tips that have helped me to stay calm.

1. Self-discovery:  Now is the best time if there was ever one, to discover oneself completely. It may sound like a piece of really lousy advice, but its important to realise that--you will never be able to tend to the desolation in your heart unless you truly know what bothers YOU. Sitting quietly, being more observant of your surroundings, is the way to go. Meditation is another great way of truly discovering oneself. The basic idea is to stop working on things that take up most of our creative energy (video games, social media, movies, talk shows, etc.) and practising mindfulness. If you are mindful and practice inner peace; slowly you will become aware of your likes and dislikes. That is the first and the most important step towards finding peace.

                                          

Sitting quietly and practising mindfulness are the first steps towards self-discovery.

2. Conversation and Silence: I like to talk with people who make me feel good about myself. People who I can laugh with. To tell the truth there isn't a lot many of them in my life. But like most, I believe in quality over quantity. And hence, the quality of conversation I have with this handful of people, more than compensates for the lack of too many peeps to talk to.

      Also, I don't like talking all the time. Sometimes I find that being left alone in my own space helps me a lot--to clear my head and find calmness. Although, that's not exactly possible to achieve when you're living in a home with a lot of people (Who necessarily don't understand this concept). Yet I always try to create my own bubble. Being an ambivert, a healthy balance between these two highly contradictory actions...keeps me sane. Find your sweet spot and satisfy your extroverted or introverted or even ambiverted natures as per. 😉

                                                 

A heart-to-heart conversation with a trusted friend; goes a long way in lifting up your mood.

                     

3. Entertainment: It was initially hard to focus on anything. Yet, I forced myself to sit through movies...something that I normally enjoy a lot! Still, somehow, it wasn't working for me. So I started watching YouTube. And that worked! Awesomely. I could disconnect from the unpleasantness of the outside world, if only for the short duration of a video. Along with that, I started reading books again. I realised that every book doesn't make you feel good in these times; even if you quite enjoyed it previously. More about that here.

         And that's exactly the point I am trying to make. With changing times, our choice of entertainment changes too. It's important to explore different things. Maybe stuff that you hadn't found appealing before, suddenly brings you immense joy and satisfaction. 

           Like my case. I'm loving audiobooks. And I haven't stopped yet! Obviously, there are sports as well. For me, it's Formula 1.

                                                            

Find some form of entertainment that works for you! Just about anything that does an excellent job in releasing the heaviness in your heart will do!

4. Stay away from the news: This may seem to be a bit ambiguous. You may argue that it's not possible to stay away from the news completely during such a situation! And you'll be right. It's not. Not completely. 

     You see, all of us have a basic idea of what's going on. But everyone has an emotional limit, and the better you recognise it -- the happier you'll be. If you're someone that can take in each and every detail of what's going on outside; then please stay informed. But if like me, you have your limits, do what I do. Each day I get notifications from Google News. I blitz through the notifications. I don't read them in detail. If there's a particular piece I want to know more of; I make an exception and read properly. I get updates from my father about the world (as he is a very strong-hearted man and follows the news daily). 

             And that's enough for me.

5. Forgive yourself: Even if you do follow all these rules, there will be days when you may feel like a useless piece of crap. You may feel how unfair it is that people who have done their best to protect themselves, are dying. You may feel angry that you are not being able to do anything to help anyone. You may feel mad at yourself after reflecting on all the privileges you enjoy and others don't, or all the privileges others enjoy and you don't.

        Just remember that it's ok. It's ok to not want to do anything, anything at all...somedays. We are all in this together. We all have days when we feel like there is no tomorrow. Give yourself a break. Don't interrupt all the flurry of emotions swirling within you. Let the troubled dirty waters within your soul settle. Be calm. Be patient. Once the dirt settles, you'll be able to continue again! 

I hope you found this set of advice useful. If you too, happen to know someone who is having a hard time trying to figure life out, share this post with them. I sincerely hope that this will act as a boost to them; even if it fails to erase all their troubles away completely.

   In the meantime, I pray for everyone. 🙏🏻 Have a wonderful day!

                                       

I have found that looking at the trees from my balcony(the farthest I can come to be in touch with the outside world) and listening to audiobooks go a long way to calm my dishevelled soul...even though my outward appearance tells an entirely different story!  😅