I’ve been reading up on the coronavirus and COVID-19 and it seems like these extreme-feeling social isolation measures are absolutely the best thing we can do to support each other right now.
Luckily, I’ve spent the last year and a half preparing for this exact moment in history.
Weirdly extreme social isolation: check!
Constant grinding fear about money / resources: check!
Incessant Netflix streaming: check!
Since “the universe was preparing me to be of service in this moment” is a much better thought than “Amber does life wrong,” I’m going with Being Prepared By The Universe. Always go with the thought that feels better rather than the thought that feels worse.
So How Do We Thrive In Unprecedented Times?
Give yourself a minute. You don’t need to immediately learn Danish or to play the medieval lute. Let yourself rest. Let yourself process. Let yourself cry. Let yourself grieve. Let yourself watch Netflix for hours. A lot of “Shakespeare wrote King Lear during the epidemic!” has been going around the internet lately, to which I say: If you diving into your novel or screenplay feels good, fan-fucking-tastic. Write things for us to read. If not, please allow me to remind you that you aren’t responsible for writing King Lear right now.
Don’t judge yourself for having feelings. You’re allowed to have feelings! You’re allowed to cry! Feel them as sensations in your body without thinking about what the feeling means. Breathe with them. Move with them. Yell them into a pillow. Shake them out.
If panic or fear sets in, soothe yourself. Our brains have been trained to panic our entire life. When you feel your thoughts careening around the hamster wheel of crazy, take a moment to soothe your nervous system.
Breathe into your belly. As much air as you can hold, then let it all out. Repeat.
Tap the top of your head and over your heart while saying or thinking “I have everything I need. I am safe. I am well.” Use whatever words feel the most supportive in the moment.
Anchor yourself into the present moment. Look around at the room you’re in. What do you see? What color catches your eye? How does the air feel? What do you smell?
Lie on the ground. The ground is a constant. It’s always there to hold and support you. Lying on the grass or putting your back up against a tree will reset your entire system. But if that’s not available, lying on your living room floor will also do the trick.
Drop all your thoughts into your heart. Imagine all your thoughts and feelings funneling into your heart space. Your heart will dissolve anything you don’t need, and return anything you do need at a time when you can look at it more easily.
Treat your feelings like a toddler. It just wants some attention. Ask it what it needs and how you can help. It may even give you some randomly profound message.
Let things change. We are living in unprecedented times. But we humans are incredibly adaptable. Let yourself pivot. Invite in the idea that you can thrive in this moment, whatever it looks like for you personally. That you can have more than enough (without hoarding toilet paper). That you can do great work. Love and be loved. Enjoy your life even in circumstances that look deeply limiting.
There are answers beneath the noise. Let yourself get quiet. Your inner wisdom / higher self / whatever-you-like-to-call-it wants you to tune in so it can help you out with whatever you need and want.
Own your power. You are stronger than you know. You are more innovative than you realize. You are more powerful than you ever imagined. Start tapping into that deep vein of SWEET BABY UNICORN, WE’VE GOT THIS.
Send your words in the direction of health and wellbeing. It’s easy to doubt the power of words, especially if you’ve ever repeated “I have a million dollars, I have a million dollars, I have a million dollars!” and were not immediately serenaded by the nearest leprechaun as he hands you bags of cash.
While your immediate experience isn’t under your control - that does seem to be what this time is about - the way you view it is 100% your choice. See what fresh perspective is available to you in this moment.
This morning, I got quiet for the first time in a 72-hour Netflix binge. Almost as soon as I let myself be still, I heard this: “I now accept any healing and cellular upgrades that are in the highest good of my physical, mental, emotional, and energetic bodies. I now radiate hope. I now radiate light. I now radiate love. I am peace. Thank you.” As I repeated those words, I felt them rearranging me on a deep level.
Let yourself rearrange on a deep level. It’s time. We got this.
