Though the recent spring temperatures (finally!) have undoubtedly given us all a boost to our moods, we are not out of the woods yet. With the ongoing pandemic, self-isolation, and uncertainty, I am hearing the same concerns echoed by many of my clients. I’ve been feeling it too.

The loss of motivation, loss of interest in pleasurable activities, inability to focus attention, difficulty sleeping, loss of appetite or increased appetite, increased use of alcohol and other substances, feeling “numb,” “moody,” “irritable,” “lonely,” and “sad,” (sometimes all in the same day). Almost all the client’s I have spoken to have asked, “why can’t I get anything done?” and most have concluded that they are “just lazy.” However, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Many of my clients have reached out for additional support during this time of global crisis. For that reason, I wanted to provide some suggestions for managing fear and anxiety during a crisis. While we are all sharing in the collective experience of the COVID-19 pandemic, global or local crises can exacerbate previous and co-existing fears and anxieties.

It is my hope that we as a community will be able to prevent significant trauma from occurring as a result of this pandemic. As we continue to work together to respond to this crisis, it is critical that we take the necessary precautions to not only protect ourselves physically but mentally as well.

I’ve put together a few suggestions for managing fear and anxiety during a crisis and a few other helpful resources.

Love is a human need. It is an emotion that we all strive for in our relationships with others and with ourselves. Yet, for many of us, it can feel elusive. We often struggle to find lasting love in our relationships or for ourselves as a result of early life experiences that caused deep emotional wounds. When these wounds never get the opportunity to heal, they persist in our subconscious mind, shaping our beliefs about ourselves, other people, and the world. Our subconscious drives our behaviour (and our relationships) until we bring the subconscious to our conscious mind.

I believe that we all have a purpose; a reason that we are here on this earth. I’m not talking about a job or even a career. I’m talking about a deeper purpose that is meant to help us evolve as humans. We all have some unique purpose that brought us to this exact time and place. I also believe that not everyone will fulfill their purpose. I’ll explain why in just a moment. 

I love, love, love listening to podcasts. If you have not yet jumped on the podcast bandwagon, you can thank me later.

The great thing about a good podcast is that you can learn something new (or, just be entertained) while doing the most mundane activities of daily life. Long road trips, doing housework, working out, and morning commutes are now welcomed opportunities to dig deeper into my own personal growth and learning.