6 Types of Self-Care for Navigating Uncertainty

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How are you feeling right now? Can you describe it? It can be difficult to put our feelings into words, let alone amidst a global pandemic. It takes practice! And if you’re anything like me right now, your emotions change drastically from day to day.

It’s okay to feel ALL the things right now.

While working from home, I feel the need to be productive in my day job, my side hustle and around the house. I tend to do too much until I push myself to the point of exhaustion or panic. Where my fellow perfectionists at?!

During these uncertain times there is no right or normal way to feel. But if you can learn to identify how you’re feeling and do what you need to take care of yourself on a regular basis… you can avoid getting to stage 3.

The self-care difference.

Self-care is a common buzzword right now. But it’s more than face masks and bubble baths – though those things are great! I outlined 6 types of self-care that I use to check in with myself daily. When I take time to apply these self-care principles, I definitely notice a difference.

Exhibit A: listening to my body

Despite a tough day on Wednesday, I was able to pause to ask myself what I needed. I took the dog for a long walk, talked with friends 1:1, and spent the evening relaxing. On Thursday morning, I woke up feeling re-energized and I had a great, productive day.

Exhibit B: little to no self-care

On Friday, however, I had a ton of meetings. And I was anxious to get to the grocery store before the weekend crowds. I wasn’t able to get there until about 5 PM, and there was a line outside. Going out right now makes me incredibly anxious. I’m grateful for all the extra precautions stores are taking to keep us safe. But the lines on the floor to encourage social distancing, sanitizing of carts and check out lines, and all the people in masks are also a constant reminder that the virus could be lurking anywhere. Empty aisles stir up worries that we may not be able to get what we need. We had a very close call with toilet paper, but luckily friends spared us a few extra rolls.

When I got home, I sanitized everything, stripped down and took my second shower that day. I really had the heeby jeebies. After rushing to make dinner, we jumped on a group FaceTime with friends. Although I wanted to know how they were doing and catch up, I was mentally and physically exhausted. The chaos of so many people talking at once was too much for me, and I had to disconnect. I felt like a bad friend. Why does everyone else love FaceTime and for me it’s so overwhelming? I realize now, I just pushed myself too far. I didn’t take any time to check-in. If I had, I would have realized I needed self-care and alone time to decompress from the week.

Our emotions are liars.

The problem is our emotions often push us to do the opposite of what we really need. When I’m anxious, I want to GO GO GO. I keep myself busy so I don’t have to think about what’s bothering me, until I eventually crash. When I’m feeling down, I want to be alone, but what I really need is connection with friends and family. This idea is based on a DBT (dialectical behavioral therapy) technique called “opposite action.”

Don’t underestimate the value of a quick connection with someone you love. It can bring you back to the present moment and remind you to be grateful. We all need each other right now more than ever.

Try my daily self-care practice

It’s important to check in with yourself daily to identify how you’re feeling and what you need. The hours after 5 are most challenging for me. I don’t know what to do with myself. I can’t sit still and relax, and I’m also not doing anything productive. You might need to check in every morning or on your lunch break – whenever you feel like something is “off.” The key is to do it daily before you get burned out. To be clear, this isn’t about avoiding our emotions, but learning to work through them in a healthy way. Feeling is part of the human experience, and pretending that everything is “fine” won’t make it true.

Sign up for my email list to receive my 3-Step Daily Self-Care Practice, which include 6 types of self-care to help you navigate difficult emotions.

For additional information to help you manage anxiety caused by the COVID-19 crisis, check out the following resources:

• 50 experts share mental health tips for coping during a crisis
• Mental Health America COVID-19 resources and information
• NAMI COVID Guide
• Stay Home, Take Care – ideas to help you stay in
• How to set yourself up for success in seasons of stress
• 6 tips for clearing your mind and getting to sleep

You got this!

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