Are you CoronAnxious? Here’s how to beat it!
I remember a time when I was a child having fun in the play ground and my parents asked me to leave because it was time to go home. The ensuing drama, I am sure, is either something you have lived, witnessed or endured with your own kids, as you ask them to bring their fun to an end because it’s time to go home.
Today, just a little past the age of 6, my daughter’s brain is creating neurological pathways; those related to emotions such as sadness, sorrow and depression. Those new emotions start to appear and affect children as they don’t really recognise them and know how to deal with them.
I, for one, wish my parents knew then, what I know now and taught me to reframe my perception of the world the way I do with my daughter and to a more complex extent with my clients.
You see our brains are wired to focus on negative events more than on positive ones, and I have learned how to prime my brain to wire and fire differently and that is something that you can do too.
“Honey, it’s ok to be sad, it’s a normal emotion because you feel you are losing something and now that we know this, let’s take a moment to be happy we had all the fun and joy at the playground. Let’s be happy that it happened”
Please note that this formula is not a magic wand that makes all your troubles disappear. It takes many months of practice across different occasions to manage and reframe our brains’ thought process.
While today my daughter still gets upset when she has to end something that’s fun, she remembers that it’s better to be happy it happened than sad it ended.
So what has that got to do with your COVID-19 anxiety?
Well, as we went into longer lockdowns and our losses grew, we started to naturally focus on what we have lost, or what we may potentially lose and even with measures loosening up, we still find ourselves with negative thoughts rather than seeing all that we have gained and all the opportunities that are in our hands to win.
How do we reframe our minds then, to ease our worries, anxiety and fear of the unknown?
The following three steps are a good starting place:
Patience: Any thing related to change and transformation requires patience and perseverance. The brain has neuro pathways and connectivities that have been in the making since our inception and changing those connections takes time; but it is possible. Take it from me. I was diagnosed with sever depression disorder. I woke up each morning for the better part of 20 years saying I’m so depressed and medication only aggravated my dim perception of my world. Today (and since at least the past 3 years), I wake up energetic, hopeful and ready to slay the day. And Here’s Good News: You can Make it!
Acknowledgement: Notice how this is a recurring theme. What I want you to acknowledge is your anxiety and understand the root cause of it. “Fear sees a threat. Anxiety imagines one. Fear screams, Get out! Anxiety ponders, What if?” -Max Lucado. Acknowledging you’re anxious helps you identify the fear lurking somewhere. You need to dig and find it to tame your anxiety. Do I hear you saying “how do I tame it?” Get in Touch with me and I will set up a call to get you through!
Redirect: Place your attention where it matters. Running “what if” scenarios in your head is similar to being sad you have to leave the playground. The situation is established, you have left the playground. It’s time to be happy you had the opportunity and now accept that it is the moment to focus your efforts on your next game changer.
In Conclusion: Dealing with the pain and losses caused by COVID 19 lockdown are longterm and we have two choices: either sit and wallow in anxiety and claustrophobia or take control over our feelings and emotions and look into elements we can control to pivot and run the narrative. I also want you to know that these “how to” steps I share with you are really “tips of the Ice berg” and if you are committed to your change and transformation then Get in Touch and we can work together to overcome your challenges and Here’s Good News: You can Make It!
Written by Tarek Azmi. Founder of Here’s Good News, a training and development company dedicated to your personal and professional growth, offering learning modules, coaching sessions and personal training.
Like this blog? Share and Subscribe to never miss a post. Fill in your details in the get in touch tab and receive a courtesy call to start building your dreams and achieving your goals and Here’s Good News: You Can Make It!
____
Notes:
Center of the Developing Child, Harvard University, National Scientific Council of the Developing Child, Children's Emotional Development is Built into the Architecture of their Brains
“Fear sees a threat. Anxiety imagines one. Fear Screams, Get out! Anxiety ponders, What if?, Max Lucado, Anxious For Nothing, Finding Calm in a Chaotic World.
Image credit to Jon Tyson@jontyson, unsplash.com