Are you tired of talking about Covid, tired of the restrictions on your movement and life, tired of being stressed, tired of the unknown and tired of masks and sanitizers?
How many conversations seem to start nowadays with “I’m so over this…”? This is a very real and strong phenomenon.
Abnormal has become the “new normal” and we have to adapt and develop ways to cope with both the intense and prolonged stress that we have all been exposed to.
Even though movement restrictions have been lifted, we still need to be cautious as we are all still exposed to the coronavirus.
We need to begin to help ourselves and learn how best to cope within the confines of our “new normal”.
Although complacency seemingly has set in, now is not the time to let your guard down.
Continue to mask, wash hands regularly, sanitize and social distance.
• Exercise – I don’t think that any of us will take freedom of movement for granted again. Enjoy the beautiful North Coast sunshine and get outdoors or back into a regular exercise routine.
• Mindfulness and gratitude – turn your attitude to gratitude. Instead of focusing on the “tired ofs” and “negatives”, find 3 things every morning to be grateful for and watch the day shift. This can take practice and time, but be patient and persistent and you will see the results.
• Constructive thinking – we cannot change the situation but we can change our responses to it. Be kind to yourself and others. Be careful what you are reading and interacting with, especially on social media.
• Look after your health – Vitamin C, Zinc and Vitamin D are good supplements to use to keep your immune system functioning at its peak. Good gut health is important as this is the base of the immune system. A good probiotic, eating well and maintaining adequate hydration is key to looking after you and your family’s health.
• Talking – keeping your feelings inside is the same as trying to hold a beach ball underwater. At some point it will pop out and you cannot control where it lands. Make use of a trusted friend or family member to share your feelings with or if it feels like things are getting out of your control, talk to a professional about how you feel.
Remind yourself to control the things that you can.
Research shows that disillusionment can last for up to a year after a disaster and this pandemic is nothing like we’ve seen before and it’s not over yet.
Visit wethrive.co.za and follow them on Instagram (@thrive_za) and Facebook (Thrive Better Than Well).
Lynda Bryant, founder of Thrive Ballito, is a pharmacy graduate of Rhodes University. At 26, she bought her first pharmacy in Kloof. The Kloof outlet won best community pharmacy in South Africa in 2013 and in 2019. She opened the Ballito branch at The Well in March this year.
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