Ep. 19 Living in Lockdown - a podcast by Dilek Yucel & Alex Kain

It's always ok to not feel ok but right now during COVID-19 it's especially ok to not feel ok.

•It's ok to not feel ok: Feeling of uncertainty and lack of control. In a time of little control, find something you do have control over and control the heck out of it! Like organising your closet or the pantry. It can be very grounding and give you a sense of mastery amongst the chaos. There can also be an underlying feeling of grief and loss:
•Routine and dress: create a morning routine and dress for your day.
•Eat well and stay hydrated and Move: Walking, and any other physical activity is great to shift a flat mood state.
•Connect with others. Keep your family and friendship connections alive. No excuses now with Zoom and other means.
•If you have children: expect increase in anxiety, testing your limits, sleep difficulties and some melt downs. Focus on strengthening the connection through physical touch play, reading books and doing activities together and verbal reassurance that you will be there for them in this time.
•Managing others in the household: give everyone a wide berth. This is not a time to nit pick and bring up old grievances or hold a grudge. Focus on safety and maintaining the attachment Everyone is doing the best they can.
•Alone time: Everyone needs to find their own sacred retreat space whether its going for a walk alone or a place to relax and recline or just time to watch your favourite escapist shows on Netflix.
•Feel ok about not getting all the things on your 'to do list' done. Practice radical self-acceptance. Anecdotally, I know people are feeling anxious and stressed about the health crisis but also carrying guilt about the belief that they should be achieving more in this time.
•Decrease the amount of COVID-19 news updates you are reading. It can easily spiral out of control and create a bleak outlook.
•Count your blessings and practice appreciation. Notice the helpers, the positive stories that are always hidden in a crisis.
•Reach out for help to your partner a friend or a professional counsellor. Our government has recognised the impact of this pandemic on everybody's mental health and provided 20 subsidised sessions with a psychologist or mental health practitioner. make use of it.

Further episodes of The DNA of Mindful Relationships

Further podcasts by Dilek Yucel & Alex Kain

Website of Dilek Yucel & Alex Kain