- At least once this week and every week after, do something for someone without being asked or expected. Even better, do something the person can’t do or would have difficulty doing themselves. Focus on how good you are feeling afterward, not on whether you have been thanked. Repeat weekly as needed.
- Spend at least a half-hour of quality time with someone close to you. Family members, close friends, and neighbors are good options. Just be sure to be fully present and engaged. The time of day when you engage in this activity is less important than its regularity. Repeat daily, if possible.
- Each day for the next week, identify at least one important aspect of your life for which you are grateful. Take time to reflect on its importance and how your life would be without it. By the end of the week, you will have the beginning of a habit. Continue regularly for best results.
- Set aside time on at least three days this week to take a walk or drive to an area that you enjoy and gives you peace. It matters less that you experience the same place or explore new areas than whether you focus on and appreciate the experience. Repeat this activity regularly for best results.
- Initiate a connection with at least one new person or neglected acquaintance this week. The connection may be virtual or in person. At first, this activity may require some discipline to engage with more people around you. Just be alert to possibilities. Give preference to people you find interesting and pleasant to engage. Repeating weekly will ensure a large and interesting group of people with whom you enjoy connecting.
- At least once this week take some time to formulate a plan to do something you will look forward to. It might be something you can do during the pandemic, or an activity or trip in which you might engage once COVID is behind us. Next week, add details to or expand the plan, or you might begin construction of another plan. Before you know it, you will have more to look forward to than you can yet imagine.
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In Your Corner, Thinking Frames
Six “Prescriptions” for Maintaining Your Emotional Health – Even Now
One of the most challenging aspects of surviving the pandemic has been to protect our mental health and feelings of well-being. We may be separated from family and unable to be with loved ones regularly. We may be working from home and unable to see and engage with colleagues and coworkers in person. Many activities we took for granted prior to the pandemic may now seem too risky. Further, even with the prospect that vaccines will be available at some point, it will still be some time before they become available to us all.
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All of these factors can combine to tax our emotional reserves and leave us feeling empty and deflated. This condition is often experienced in symptoms such as frequent periods of tiredness, feelings of separation or loneliness, and episodes of frustration and disappointment. The symptoms may be mild or more intense, but they can be signs that our emotional reserves need to be replenished.
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Of course, when the pandemic is over and the danger of the virus has passed, some of the causes will disappear. However, the need to remain attentive to the state of our emotional well-being will remain important. Fortunately, there are a number of actions we can take to ensure our emotional reserves remain at a comfortable level whether we are facing unusual challenges or just wanting to feel connected and emotionally healthy. We might think of these as “prescriptions” we can follow to maintain a healthy emotional state. Follow these suggestions and you will be amazed at how well your emotions respond.
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In Your Corner, Thinking Frames
Where Can We Find Peace?
This is a time of year when we often hear the word “peace.” Some think of peace as a symbol of the holiday season. For many of us, peace is a word used to express our hope for the future. Peace is an idea with multiple meanings. Yet, across our nation and around the world, it is the hope driving much of what we search for in life.
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For those who are experiencing conflict, even war, peace might symbolize a world without violence and a commitment to settle differences and build understanding without resorting to destructive conflict. Peace might represent a nation that has rediscovered what binds us together and the important interests we share. Peace also can be found in a family without constant conflict, where relationships are stronger than self-interests and winning. Peace might represent life balance in which physical, emotional, and spiritual elements are in harmony. Peace might also come through the realization that we are nurturing important skills and a love of learning among our students that will open the doors to a successful and satisfying future.
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Of course, peace in any of these contexts is not easy to achieve, but it is more than worth the effort. At times, finding peace means making a greater commitment and searching more intensely. At other times, finding peace means letting go and accepting life as we experience it.
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Others rarely can tell us what we must do and what choices we should make. The answer to where and how to find peace lies within each of us. We must look inward to discover what we need.
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We can start by reflecting on what we value and what really matters to us. If we are to commit and persist to find peace, we need to know what we are searching for and why it is worth the pursuit. This step may sound as though it should be easy, but life has a way of interrupting and distracting us from discovering this important truth. Quiet reflection, self-honesty, and inward exploration can be useful strategies to help us.
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We can also think about who we value and what they mean to us. In the heat of conflict, we can forget that to achieve our most important goals we usually need others to guide, support, and even challenge us. Who are those people in your life? Do they know how much you value them? Peace is especially fulfilling when it is shared.
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As we think about the world beyond us we may despair, thinking that we are only one person. How can we hope to bring peace? What difference can we make? The truth is that real, lasting peace will be built by people like us who care enough to try, are committed enough to work toward it, and humble enough to share the work and credit with others. Big dreams are not necessarily more costly than small ones, but they can make a much greater difference.
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In this holiday season, may you find peace. Cherish it, share it, and build on it.
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In Your Corner, Thinking Frames
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