By Leela Gallucci, LiveGirl Program Intern, Sacred Heart University ‘20
“Wash your hands frequently, don’t touch your face, stay home, practice social distancing, cover your cough.” We’ve all heard these self- care steps a million times, and although it’s essential, there is much more to self-care than this. The self- care routine that we don’t hear enough about is the one that we must practice mentally.
Taking care of your mental health is so essential, especially in stressful times like these where COVID-19 seems to be consuming our lives. All of my college courses have been moved online, my extra-curricular activities that I love have ended permanently, and I don’t know how to process all of these emotions at once. For me, I know that when I’m isolated or my daily routine is thrown off, I tend to feel more on edge, frustrated, and less motivated to fulfill my everyday activities. Here is what we all have to understand. These feelings are completely NORMAL! Once we accept this, we can then choose how we respond.
Now that I’ve had a few days at home to process this new way of life, I’ve started to brainstorm ways that I can take care of my own mental health, and avoid the negative thoughts that try and creep up on me. It may seem simple, but the first and most important step to taking care of your mental health is to get out of bed! It sounds so easy, but it’s actually the hardest step. Personally, I will stay in bed all day long if I could. The minute that I decide to get up and walk around, my whole mood changes, and I’m more motivated to tackle the day.
Something else that puts me on the right track for the day is eating a substantial breakfast. I cannot concentrate on anything if I don’t eat a good meal in the morning. I know that not everyone enjoys having breakfast, but even just a yogurt, or a piece of fruit in the morning can significantly affect how you’re able to function. Also, make sure you spend some time outside! I know we’re supposed to be practicing social distancing, but even taking a few minutes to just sit on your front step or take a walk around the block can be life changing. Getting some fresh air is never a bad thing.
Next, I want to talk about exercising. Being a Theater Arts and Media student in college has allowed me to blend dance and voice classes in with my regular academics. For as long as I can remember, dance has been an outlet for me to be able to exercise and relieve any stress that I may have. When my dance classes got cancelled last week, I had the hardest time accepting the fact that I wouldn’t be taking dance every week. I had no idea how I was going to express that side of me. Working out seems mundane to me. I love the flow of a dance class and how it can make me forget about my problems for a little bit. When you’re so used to a consistent activity and it suddenly is taken away, this can be a very hard hit to your mental health. Luckily, the performance world is so amazing. My dance teacher, and many other dance and fitness instructors all over the country have started filming at-home routines and exercises that viewers can practice in their living rooms. Whether you want to take an advanced core class, practice some yoga, or learn a new dance combo, just head to YouTube and search for something that would be best for you. It’s very heartwarming to be able to see this community of creators come together during this time of hardship and make content for those who may be struggling. Technology is an incredible tool that we can use right now to continue making important connections virtually.
I wanted to save my most important self-care step for last. It is to make sure to stay focused on the present. This is something that I know I have struggled with far before this pandemic really began to set in. My thoughts always tend to spiral, and I can’t stop thinking about the future. What am I going to do after graduation? Where do I want to live? How quickly is this all supposed to happen? It’s so easy to let these thoughts consume you, and that’s not good for your mental health. It helps to constantly remind yourself when you’re having these thoughts that much of the future is unknown, and out of your control. What you CAN control is how you make decisions and react in the present. What will you do right now that will benefit you tomorrow? Part of what makes this virus so scary, is that we don’t know what the world is going to be like tomorrow or a week from now. We have no idea how to prepare ourselves or how to cope with what’s already happened. All that we can do right now is wait, and waiting is terrifying. We need to focus on our goals for each individual day and take it from there. Please know that we are all in this together. Let’s take a deep breath, be safe, and focus on taking care of yourself and your loved ones. We will get through this one step at a time.
“Wash your hands frequently, don’t touch your face, stay home, practice social distancing, cover your cough.” We’ve all heard these self- care steps a million times, and although it’s essential, there is much more to self-care than this. The self- care routine that we don’t hear enough about is the one that we must practice mentally.
Taking care of your mental health is so essential, especially in stressful times like these where COVID-19 seems to be consuming our lives. All of my college courses have been moved online, my extra-curricular activities that I love have ended permanently, and I don’t know how to process all of these emotions at once. For me, I know that when I’m isolated or my daily routine is thrown off, I tend to feel more on edge, frustrated, and less motivated to fulfill my everyday activities. Here is what we all have to understand. These feelings are completely NORMAL! Once we accept this, we can then choose how we respond.
Now that I’ve had a few days at home to process this new way of life, I’ve started to brainstorm ways that I can take care of my own mental health, and avoid the negative thoughts that try and creep up on me. It may seem simple, but the first and most important step to taking care of your mental health is to get out of bed! It sounds so easy, but it’s actually the hardest step. Personally, I will stay in bed all day long if I could. The minute that I decide to get up and walk around, my whole mood changes, and I’m more motivated to tackle the day.
Something else that puts me on the right track for the day is eating a substantial breakfast. I cannot concentrate on anything if I don’t eat a good meal in the morning. I know that not everyone enjoys having breakfast, but even just a yogurt, or a piece of fruit in the morning can significantly affect how you’re able to function. Also, make sure you spend some time outside! I know we’re supposed to be practicing social distancing, but even taking a few minutes to just sit on your front step or take a walk around the block can be life changing. Getting some fresh air is never a bad thing.
Next, I want to talk about exercising. Being a Theater Arts and Media student in college has allowed me to blend dance and voice classes in with my regular academics. For as long as I can remember, dance has been an outlet for me to be able to exercise and relieve any stress that I may have. When my dance classes got cancelled last week, I had the hardest time accepting the fact that I wouldn’t be taking dance every week. I had no idea how I was going to express that side of me. Working out seems mundane to me. I love the flow of a dance class and how it can make me forget about my problems for a little bit. When you’re so used to a consistent activity and it suddenly is taken away, this can be a very hard hit to your mental health. Luckily, the performance world is so amazing. My dance teacher, and many other dance and fitness instructors all over the country have started filming at-home routines and exercises that viewers can practice in their living rooms. Whether you want to take an advanced core class, practice some yoga, or learn a new dance combo, just head to YouTube and search for something that would be best for you. It’s very heartwarming to be able to see this community of creators come together during this time of hardship and make content for those who may be struggling. Technology is an incredible tool that we can use right now to continue making important connections virtually.
I wanted to save my most important self-care step for last. It is to make sure to stay focused on the present. This is something that I know I have struggled with far before this pandemic really began to set in. My thoughts always tend to spiral, and I can’t stop thinking about the future. What am I going to do after graduation? Where do I want to live? How quickly is this all supposed to happen? It’s so easy to let these thoughts consume you, and that’s not good for your mental health. It helps to constantly remind yourself when you’re having these thoughts that much of the future is unknown, and out of your control. What you CAN control is how you make decisions and react in the present. What will you do right now that will benefit you tomorrow? Part of what makes this virus so scary, is that we don’t know what the world is going to be like tomorrow or a week from now. We have no idea how to prepare ourselves or how to cope with what’s already happened. All that we can do right now is wait, and waiting is terrifying. We need to focus on our goals for each individual day and take it from there. Please know that we are all in this together. Let’s take a deep breath, be safe, and focus on taking care of yourself and your loved ones. We will get through this one step at a time.
“Wash your hands frequently, don’t touch your face, stay home, practice social distancing, cover your cough.” We’ve all heard these self- care steps a million times, and although it’s essential, there is much more to self-care than this. The self- care routine that we don’t hear enough about is the one that we must practice mentally.
Taking care of your mental health is so essential, especially in stressful times like these where COVID-19 seems to be consuming our lives. All of my college courses have been moved online, my extra-curricular activities that I love have ended permanently, and I don’t know how to process all of these emotions at once. For me, I know that when I’m isolated or my daily routine is thrown off, I tend to feel more on edge, frustrated, and less motivated to fulfill my everyday activities. Here is what we all have to understand. These feelings are completely NORMAL! Once we accept this, we can then choose how we respond.
Now that I’ve had a few days at home to process this new way of life, I’ve started to brainstorm ways that I can take care of my own mental health, and avoid the negative thoughts that try and creep up on me. It may seem simple, but the first and most important step to taking care of your mental health is to get out of bed! It sounds so easy, but it’s actually the hardest step. Personally, I will stay in bed all day long if I could. The minute that I decide to get up and walk around, my whole mood changes, and I’m more motivated to tackle the day.
Something else that puts me on the right track for the day is eating a substantial breakfast. I cannot concentrate on anything if I don’t eat a good meal in the morning. I know that not everyone enjoys having breakfast, but even just a yogurt, or a piece of fruit in the morning can significantly affect how you’re able to function. Also, make sure you spend some time outside! I know we’re supposed to be practicing social distancing, but even taking a few minutes to just sit on your front step or take a walk around the block can be life changing. Getting some fresh air is never a bad thing.
Next, I want to talk about exercising. Being a Theater Arts and Media student in college has allowed me to blend dance and voice classes in with my regular academics. For as long as I can remember, dance has been an outlet for me to be able to exercise and relieve any stress that I may have. When my dance classes got cancelled last week, I had the hardest time accepting the fact that I wouldn’t be taking dance every week. I had no idea how I was going to express that side of me. Working out seems mundane to me. I love the flow of a dance class and how it can make me forget about my problems for a little bit. When you’re so used to a consistent activity and it suddenly is taken away, this can be a very hard hit to your mental health. Luckily, the performance world is so amazing. My dance teacher, and many other dance and fitness instructors all over the country have started filming at-home routines and exercises that viewers can practice in their living rooms. Whether you want to take an advanced core class, practice some yoga, or learn a new dance combo, just head to YouTube and search for something that would be best for you. It’s very heartwarming to be able to see this community of creators come together during this time of hardship and make content for those who may be struggling. Technology is an incredible tool that we can use right now to continue making important connections virtually.
I wanted to save my most important self-care step for last. It is to make sure to stay focused on the present. This is something that I know I have struggled with far before this pandemic really began to set in. My thoughts always tend to spiral, and I can’t stop thinking about the future. What am I going to do after graduation? Where do I want to live? How quickly is this all supposed to happen? It’s so easy to let these thoughts consume you, and that’s not good for your mental health. It helps to constantly remind yourself when you’re having these thoughts that much of the future is unknown, and out of your control. What you CAN control is how you make decisions and react in the present. What will you do right now that will benefit you tomorrow? Part of what makes this virus so scary, is that we don’t know what the world is going to be like tomorrow or a week from now. We have no idea how to prepare ourselves or how to cope with what’s already happened. All that we can do right now is wait, and waiting is terrifying. We need to focus on our goals for each individual day and take it from there. Please know that we are all in this together. Let’s take a deep breath, be safe, and focus on taking care of yourself and your loved ones. We will get through this one step at a time.
“Wash your hands frequently, don’t touch your face, stay home, practice social distancing, cover your cough.” We’ve all heard these self- care steps a million times, and although it’s essential, there is much more to self-care than this. The self- care routine that we don’t hear enough about is the one that we must practice mentally.
Taking care of your mental health is so essential, especially in stressful times like these where COVID-19 seems to be consuming our lives. All of my college courses have been moved online, my extra-curricular activities that I love have ended permanently, and I don’t know how to process all of these emotions at once. For me, I know that when I’m isolated or my daily routine is thrown off, I tend to feel more on edge, frustrated, and less motivated to fulfill my everyday activities. Here is what we all have to understand. These feelings are completely NORMAL! Once we accept this, we can then choose how we respond.
Now that I’ve had a few days at home to process this new way of life, I’ve started to brainstorm ways that I can take care of my own mental health, and avoid the negative thoughts that try and creep up on me. It may seem simple, but the first and most important step to taking care of your mental health is to get out of bed! It sounds so easy, but it’s actually the hardest step. Personally, I will stay in bed all day long if I could. The minute that I decide to get up and walk around, my whole mood changes, and I’m more motivated to tackle the day.
Something else that puts me on the right track for the day is eating a substantial breakfast. I cannot concentrate on anything if I don’t eat a good meal in the morning. I know that not everyone enjoys having breakfast, but even just a yogurt, or a piece of fruit in the morning can significantly affect how you’re able to function. Also, make sure you spend some time outside! I know we’re supposed to be practicing social distancing, but even taking a few minutes to just sit on your front step or take a walk around the block can be life changing. Getting some fresh air is never a bad thing.
Next, I want to talk about exercising. Being a Theater Arts and Media student in college has allowed me to blend dance and voice classes in with my regular academics. For as long as I can remember, dance has been an outlet for me to be able to exercise and relieve any stress that I may have. When my dance classes got cancelled last week, I had the hardest time accepting the fact that I wouldn’t be taking dance every week. I had no idea how I was going to express that side of me. Working out seems mundane to me. I love the flow of a dance class and how it can make me forget about my problems for a little bit. When you’re so used to a consistent activity and it suddenly is taken away, this can be a very hard hit to your mental health. Luckily, the performance world is so amazing. My dance teacher, and many other dance and fitness instructors all over the country have started filming at-home routines and exercises that viewers can practice in their living rooms. Whether you want to take an advanced core class, practice some yoga, or learn a new dance combo, just head to YouTube and search for something that would be best for you. It’s very heartwarming to be able to see this community of creators come together during this time of hardship and make content for those who may be struggling. Technology is an incredible tool that we can use right now to continue making important connections virtually.
I wanted to save my most important self-care step for last. It is to make sure to stay focused on the present. This is something that I know I have struggled with far before this pandemic really began to set in. My thoughts always tend to spiral, and I can’t stop thinking about the future. What am I going to do after graduation? Where do I want to live? How quickly is this all supposed to happen? It’s so easy to let these thoughts consume you, and that’s not good for your mental health. It helps to constantly remind yourself when you’re having these thoughts that much of the future is unknown, and out of your control. What you CAN control is how you make decisions and react in the present. What will you do right now that will benefit you tomorrow? Part of what makes this virus so scary, is that we don’t know what the world is going to be like tomorrow or a week from now. We have no idea how to prepare ourselves or how to cope with what’s already happened. All that we can do right now is wait, and waiting is terrifying. We need to focus on our goals for each individual day and take it from there. Please know that we are all in this together. Let’s take a deep breath, be safe, and focus on taking care of yourself and your loved ones. We will get through this one step at a time.
