Relax, Relate, Release

'Wait! Say what?! What do you mean? Say what now?! 'Over the past few weeks, those have been my responses to many things. These past few weeks life has been confusing, frustrating, scary, even mind blowing. Between the children dancing on your nerves, not being able to socialize, being suspicious of every cough and sneeze, wheeeew chile, this quarantine life has been a lot. So many questions! .

Remember the 5 W's you learned back in school? Who is considered essential?

What is social distancing really? When is this quarantine going to be over?

Where is the cause and the cure? Why is this happening?

Or maybe you are like me and you're wondering the tough questions; When is outside opening back up? Who is going to pay these bills? Where in the world is my stimulus check? We don't have any real answers yet we are still expected to be calm.

This global pandemic crisis has us asking all sorts of questions. All these unanswered questions and what-ifs can lead to anxiety. Anxiety is what we feel when we're not in control. As humans, we often want to be in control of everything (and everybody), but if not everything, at least in control of ourselves, right?

However, there are times in life when we even lose control of our own lives due to life circumstances, such as the weather, health issues and pandemics. What we can control is our emotions. Now is definitely not the time to suppress our emotions. There is too much going to be quiet. Stay home; not stay silent. We need to feel our feelings so they can come and then they can go. Let me say that louder for the people in the back!

Feel your feelings and then let them go. Feelings are fickle. No need to hold on to them, especially feelings of anxiety, if it's not serving you anymore. Ain't nobody got time for increased heart rate, mind racing, tremors, sweating, shortness of breath. Nope!

Anxiety is our body's signal to acknowledge our discomfort or issues of control in a certain area of our life. Anxiety is a way to alert ourselves ---alert and become aware but not necessarily alarm. I mean, honestly, if you didn't have some sort of slight anxiety during a global pandemic then I would be more alarmed. #therapeuticallyspeaking

Let me give you a few tips to help during this time. Acknowledge the anxiety and focus on what you can control. Focus on what's good and pure. Focus on life, love and beauty by grounding yourself through your five senses. For example, with your eyes - look at something beautiful; with your ears -listen to your favorite song; with your fingers - squeeze a stress ball; with your nose - light a candle or plug in a diffuser to smell; with your mouth - suck on a peppermint. Engage all your senses. Slow down and remember to breathe. Rejuvenate your body. Reset your mind. Renew yourself. 

We have got to RELAX, RELATE and RELEASE! Release the tension and pressure that others try to project on you. Release the need to please everyone. Release the desire to fix everything. Release the need for control. Release the anxiety --- it doesn't need you and you don't need it. Acknowledge it and say goodbye to it. Just like our good sis Whitley Gilbert taught us!

Releeeeeeaaaaaasssseeee!

By: @missonthemic

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