Unpacking the Pandemic: Question #4 What Change do you want to See and Be in 2021? An invitation for Healing.
What Change do you want to See and Be in 2021?
An invitation for Healing
(You can click the highlighted links for additional information and references to a variety of topics)
1. You CAN heal past trauma and early Adversity!
Healing trauma individually and collectively addresses the sense of a need to control the “COVID -19’ virus and the virus in the mind that is causing fear which is causing the stress which in turn triggers physical and neurobiological responses in our bodies which compromise our human immune systems.
Consider the other dis-eases and medical illnesses such as Cancer and Diabetes and Aides. They are all “autoimmune” diseases that are “killing us”. Where does Cancer come from (as if it is put in our body) instead it manifests inside our bodies. Could that also be true of the virus, that some people will manifest the symptoms and others will not? Have we studied this?
2. Stop judging; ourselves and others.
Accepting that other people will do things differently according to what they feel they need to do is really the way to go!
However, before we can accept others we need to accept ourselves. By taking time to work with a coach or counselor you can ask questions to learn more about how your are perceiving the world. Especially right now, we are all having our “buttons” pushed and “triggers” are surfacing based our beliefs and thoughts. We can only manage our own emotions. These feelings are often just feelings and when they arise there is an opportunity to integrate them into our selves, understanding that we are made up of many different “parts”. Internal Family Systems is just one approach to integration that is available when working with coaches and therapists.
3. Contemplate your WELLBEING:
Here is an invitation for reflection and contemplation in an effort to accept and empower yourself in relationship with and regard to your physical and mental health:
1. What is your immune system?
2. What is your story? Have you experienced early adversity(ACES)?
3. Do you have or have you had any Auto-Immune or Immune compromising health issue(s) in the past? (Cancer, Diabetes, Lyme Disease, Arthritis)
4. What is your current health status?
Are you healthy?
Are you overweight?
Are you frequently eating unhealthy foods?
Are you consuming a significant amount of alcohol or other mind altering drugs?
5. How mentally healthy are you?
What is the mental health of your family members?
How do you navigate your choices to engage in activities that create healthy stress and unhealthy stress?
How are you feeling about your current current life circumstances? (Are you happy, fearful, engaged in healthy purposeful activity?
What types of relationships are you engaged in (healthy or unhealthy)?
How are you feeling (sad, bored, angry) and how is it impacting your overall wellbeing?
How have you experienced and processed loss and grief in your life?
What is your spiritual practice, do you have one?
6. What unresolved trauma might you have that can be viewed as an opportunity to do more healing which in turn can support your immune system? You can take the ACES Survey and seek support from a Therapist or Mental Health Counselor to explore this.
7. How do you feel about death? How does it impact you when you hear that people you know or don’t even know have died? How do you feel about the idea that you will someday die?
Many fears and the “need” for control come from past experiences where people were not grounded and calm and regulated in their thoughts and actions and either hurt or neglected others. Yes, hurt people hurt people, and more hurt and blame and shame is not the answer. Love is the answer. And our evolving minds are capable of creating more loving responses to ourselves and others.
4. Become more Mindful
How does the “Pandemic” reflect the Health and Wellbeing of the people in our Country or our World? There is a saying that “what is going on outside is likely a reflection of what is going on inside.”
Before we jump into more reactive modes it is important to come back to the present moment and assess where we are NOW and where we have come from. Take time to Pause.
The impact of the pandemic, the media, the fear and the surrounding uncertainty is a calling for a time for healing.
When a person runs a red light, were they paying attention? or did it happen because they are in a chase and running away from something. The reason we have traffic violations and regulations is because humans need someone to tell us when to “slow down” and “stop” so another person can “have a turn” going through an intersection. We are often on “automatic pilot” in our cars and in our thinking and habits.
Mindful awareness is a practice that you can do 10-20 minutes per day. It’s free and it means you have power over your mind and body and emotions. It can help to raise consciousness of how individuals are functioning in the world. How fast or slow we are going. Are we reacting or responding from a state of fear or calm?
Have you ever had to retype a word three or four times, only to realize that if you had slowed down the first time you would be more accurate in selecting and connecting with the keys on your keyboard on your computer or your phone?
Please consider this an invitation to reflect on your life, your habits, and your mind and body so that you can focus on the changes you want to see and be in 2021!