By Beth Proudfoot, LMFT
Fear, loneliness, anger, and isolation can be very bad for our health. While we are all sheltering in place, we need to be mindful about letting go of negative emotions before they get the best of us. This is easier said than done! I’m trying my best in my own life to first be sure that I have done everything I need to do to keep myself and my family safe, and then replace negative thoughts with their antidotes: gratitude, compassion, and forgiveness. Here’s my Reminder of Good News List.
Safety Reassurances
I’m doing my best to stay healthy by following the Shelter at Home order, wearing a mask when I have to go out, washing my hands when I come home. There is, actually, nothing more that I can do for the safety of my family. Check it off the list. Worrying about it won’t help.
Gratitude
Thank goodness for the Internet! Isn’t it awesome that this global pandemic has happened at a time when we have the technology to connect online? Here at CFCG, we’re pretty clear that being face-to-face and in the same room is better, but teletherapy is okay. It works. It’s helpful, even for little kids. And it’s badly needed right now.
I’m so grateful that all of our therapists have stepped up to learn the technology so that they can help their clients. There was definitely a learning curve…and we’re all still learning.
Every time I go for a walk or bike ride, I see families outside, drawing on the sidewalk, playing Nerf baseball on the front lawn, doing projects, taking walks. Just watching this gives me hope and fills me with gratitude that right here, in this moment, many families are creating meaningful time that’s building closeness and connection.
Compassion
For some families, where school and work were actually respites from the conflict and unhappiness at home, this shelter-in-place order is forcing some hard choices. My heart goes out to those who are facing a reality they can’t ignore anymore and making decisions to make painful but necessary changes. We are here to help if we can.
Forgiveness Affirmations (replacing my repeating angry, worried thoughts)
All of our leaders are doing their best to make wise decisions with rapidly changing information.
My neighbors with a three-year supply of toilet paper will probably share if I ask them nicely. I forgive myself for not hoarding when I had the chance.
That woman who sneezed while I was passing her in the aisle at Safeway probably just had hay fever.
Take good care! Hug those kids for me.
Beth
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