03/15/2020
We’ve all been reading all the stories online about the crisis in the world and yes, sometimes it’s been overwhelming. I’ve also read from some of my UTOPIAN friends that in past times we just need to inundate the media with pictures of cute puppies to help relieve the tension. SO, In this time of uncertainty let’s talk Puppies. YES. P U P P I E S !!
P is for Pray first and above all. Write down your anxious thoughts and then find scriptures that give Truth to these thoughts that will give You peace. Just google “uncertainty and scriptures, or fear and scriptures.” Find a Bible Version that makes sense to you i.e. New Living Translation or The message or The Passion. One of My favorites Verses is Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you. These plans are for good and not for disaster, but to give you a future and a hope.” PRAY for others. When we pray for others it helps us to get outside of ourselves and focus on others therefore reducing our own anxiety. Pray for healthcare workers, Pray for first responders, Pray for family members, Pray for your neighbors, Pray for your community and Pray for your leaders. Pray WITH others over the phone, if you can’t make face to face gatherings. This might be awkward for you at first and you don’t have to have the exact words, but just ask God to give you peace and comfort during this time of uncertainty when everything seems to be so chaotic. You can even say “God I don’t know the right words to say or what to ask for, but I know that you do.“ You have already looked up the Verses that give truth to your anxious thoughts that gives you peace, so maybe you can share them with others to give them comfort during this time.
U is for Unplug. Find a good reliable source of info such as https://www.cdc.gov/. Stay updated with reliable, trustworthy information once or twice a day 5-10 minutes, but then UNPLUG. Visit with your family, go outside and get some fresh air, or talk to a neighbor.
P is for plan. Yes, we are living with uncertainty. This causes anxiety because sometimes it feels like everything is out of control and we all want or need to be in control to make sense of things. So make basic plans such as Who will watch the kids if the school closes, talk to your boss to see if can you work from home, or see how you can you stay in touch with family without big gatherings. If you know someone that lives alone or an elderly person that is alone, then call and check on them once a day.
P is for Patience. We live in a world where the end product is the goal and the experience of doing something is not rewarded. We rush around and tell ourselves “I don’t have time for this or for that,” and we rush past people without noticing them or criticize and judge them as they are “too slow.” We are so rushed that we snap at our loved ones for being rude or raise our voice at our spouses for yelling at the kids! Now that the world has gone a little crazy, our fears have taken over parts of our brain and research shows through MRI scans that under stress parts of the brain shuts down or goes “offline.” This means there is less activity in parts of the brain which can lead to a depressed brain or angry brain as there is less activity to process day to day emotions that cause stress. So, when you’re out and the line at the grocery store is long, or there aren’t enough supplies and someone starts yelling at the poor check out clerk, remember that could easily be your loved one or yourself. Count to ten backwards, practice the belly breathing, say a prayer…….. https://thriveglobal.com/stories/how-practicing-patience-can-relieve-stress-and-anxiety/
I is for Intake. Be aware of your nutrition and hydration. Drink plenty of water and eat food that’s going to supply your body with the correct nutrition to keep you strong in these times of uncertainty. Uncertainty leads to stress, which is known to lower your immune system. Be aware of your food and water intake. https://www.webmd.com/diet/how-much-water-to-drink
E is for exercise. Yeah right, we all hate that word, but just get up and move around. Go outside, take a walk, walk the dog, take out the trash, water the plants, or work in the garden. Just make sure you’re up and walking at least once an hour. Practice “belly breathing” or diaphragmatic breathing by make small effortless breaths in your lower torso vs your chest. According to the Mayo Clinic Diaphragmatic breathing lowers your stress levels and improves circulation in your blood.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/decrease-stress-by-using-your-breath/art-20267197 This has also been shown to improve the functioning of your respiratory system, decrease muscle tension, increase endurance, reduce chronic pain and manage anxiety all without expensive exercise equipment, supplements or apps. https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/adult-pain-medicine/newsfeed-post/diaphragmatic-breathing-why-it-is-the-secret-weapon-against-chronic-pain/
At night when we sleep and repair our bodies and our mind, we breathe opposite as we do in the daytime. During sleep and when we are completely at rest, we breathe in and our stomach pushes out (like we have a balloon that’s blowing up). When we blow our breathe out, we push the air out and our stomach deflates. If we can practice this a few times a day this will help lower your anxiety, counteract the body’s flight-fight response, and repair our overwhelmed bodies. Make sure to put one hand on your chest and one hand on your belly. You want to watch to see that your hand on your chest does not move when you breathe in and your belly pushes out.
S is for sleep. Again, higher levels of stress equal a lower immune system. Write down the time that you go to sleep, how many times you wake up, and what time you get up in the morning. Be aware. In addition to anxiety and mood disorders, those with sleep disorders are risk for heart disease, heart failure, irregular heartbeat, heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, and obesity. https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/related-illnesses/sleep-disorders Make a gratitude list of the things you are grateful for. Keep paper and pen by your bedside. Whatever you put in your mind before you go to sleep will grow like wildfire. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_gratitude_changes_you_and_your_brain
Puppies. Yes, think about P U P P I E S. Ok some may say, well a puppy will grow into a dog. And in this time of uncertainty and when our world seems to be turning upside down and backwards, we can always turn it around from “dog” to GOD. God has always been in control; he is in control right now and he’s already into tomorrow. He already knows what we’re going to face and so he’s made a plan for you. A plan to be there and to walk alongside of you, so you are never alone in what this crazy backward world tries to give you. 🙏💙🙏
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