How to Overcome Covid Anxiety and Stress in 2021
How to overcome Covid anxiety and stress in 2021! With 2020 newly behind us, we can begin to look ahead to the new year with hope for our future. If you struggled with increased stress or anxiety during 2020, then you are certainly not alone. As the global pandemic took hold, we were thrown into a world of social isolation, remote working and future uncertainty.
The wonderful news, is that you made it. You successfully survived 2020, and you are now here reading this article. This act in itself highlights your distinct ability to overcome every challenge that has been thrown at you so far. We will show you how to overcome Covid anxiety and stress in 2021.
Congratulations!
You are an incredibly strong woman with every ability to create a positive year ahead for yourself from here.
It might be the case that 2020 implicated a drastic change of circumstances for you. You might have had to make changes in your life that you were not expecting and you are still adjusting. Perhaps you had to take a new job, or give up other dreams due to personal and professional challenges.
Or it might be the case—as is true for many—that the national restrictions and increased time in lockdown has given you sufficient room to reflect on what you do (and don’t) want to carry forward with you into 2021. With our usual distractions and vices removed from us, millions of us have taken the opportunity to take take stock of where we are and where we are currently headed.
No matter what position you have found yourself in this year, there are a number of ways to enjoy better mental health and lower stress. Sometimes we may not even be aware of how stressed we have become until a specific health or emotional crisis occurs. It can be difficult to know where to begin when there is so much conflicting information found online. Thankfully, this article is here to help!
Here are 6 powerful tips to get you started on your self-empowered journey to lesser stress:
1) Acknowledge the present.
Making attempts to push away what you have been through recently will only make the situation worse. The stresses of the covid-19 pandemic are very real and incredibly impactful upon your wellbeing. It’s important to accept what has occurred beyond your control, which certainly applies to the current situation. Instead of pushing away those worried thoughts, sit comfortably with yourself in the knowledge that you can make change to what is in your control. The fact that you are here reading this article is evidence in itself that you have the power to conquer anything that comes your way. Share some well deserved credit with yourself, here and now.
2) Nourish yourself with revitalizing foods.
The meals and snacks we choose to put into our body all significantly affect our emotional and physical health. Though it might be tempting to lean towards junk food vices or sugar-laden caffeine drinks on anxious days, they will only aggravate your emotions. Set yourself up for success by prepping foods ahead of time that will provide the right nutrients and energy that you need to enjoy great wellbeing throughout the year ahead. Busy schedule? Batch cook a stack of nutritious meals and fresh treats at the start of each week to ensure you don’t wander off track. Your gut health significantly influences
your mental health, and both will be very grateful for your efforts!
3) Give generous attention to your personal needs.
When life becomes chaotic and our responsibility and task lists feels out of control, it is all too easy to neglect ourselves as we lurch distractedly through each busy week. Set aside quality time with yourself at least once a day throughout the coming year to replenish yourself. Even 20 brief but nourishing minutes of rejuvenation can be enough to change your day for the better. It could help you overcome covid anxiety and stress. Take a refreshing outdoor walk or enjoy some app-guided meditative practice that will provide the emotional clarity you need to tackle the remainder of the day. Ignore the temptation to skip such practices, even on your busier days. Especially on those days, in fact!
4) Connect with those around you.
The social restrictions that have been implicated by the coronavirus pandemic have meant we have all experienced varying periods of isolation and lack of human contact in person for the most part. If you have struggled with loneliness, then you are actually in the company of many, despite how solitary you might feel right this moment. This coming year, enjoy the possibilities of creative communication (away from the glare of a screen) by embracing options such as handwritten letter-writing. Take a safely distanced walk outdoors with a neighbor or head out for a chatty hike with an old friend. You might be amazed at what you learn about the important people in your life when technology is tucked away for a while.
5) Let go of what no longer serves you.
Perceived obligation and habit can cause us to stick with activities and even friendships that consistently make us unhappy. This was true before 2020, and it remains a valid perspective going forwards. Remaining in an unhealthy routine or toxic relationship will deplete our positivity very rapidly. Take some time to consider your emotions immediately after spending time with someone or following a particular activity.
Do you feel agitated or less than your true self in the moments after engaging with this person or event? It might be time to consciously leave certain elements in your life in the past in order to leave roomy space for fresh opportunities to take up their place in the future.
6) Upgrade your narrative.
Although we all enjoy a good grumble every now and then as a form of healthy cathartic release, too much negative talk can greatly lower your motivation and self-esteem. There has been a lot of unexpected and highly influential world events during 2020 that have hurt many of us.
However, in order to free ourselves from past negativity we must embrace a brighter approach. Swap simple phrases such as, “I can’t see it getting better…” for, “I believe it’s possible that…” and, “I am no good at…” for, “I am learning to…”. This small but incredibly mighty change could alter your way of thinking longer term for the better. Not only that, but you will attract the right people towards you with your refreshingly open and positive approach. Even on those darker days, find at least one moment of goodness—and share it with someone!
Take Your Time
You have already given yourself an incredible New Year’s gift by taking the time to read this article. Doing so is a powerful intuitive signal to yourself that you are worth taking time and care of. You deserve to enjoy well balanced mental health and a good sense of wellbeing both this year and beyond. No matter what occurs in the short or long term future, you now have the tools to support yourself going forwards. So use these tips to learn how to overcome covid anxiety and stress in 2021.
Take your time as you experiment with these positive methods and constructive approaches as you venture through the coming months. Be forgiving of yourself when things don’t work out exactly as you might hope. Reflect on the areas you could improve and gently work towards improving these elements in a timeframe that works for you.
Celebrate
Celebrate each small and mighty moment of progress. Had a calmer day than the one before? Acknowledge each important moment of overcoming. Noticed you have coped better with a difficult situation than you have previously? Celebrate your successes, no matter how tiny or insignificant they might seem. These personal steps are valuable evidence of your abilities, no matter how low you might sometimes feel within your circumstances.
You are already doing an incredible job of cultivating the life you wish to live simply by consciously holding the ongoing desire to do so. This intention will be the guiding light you need to bring down your levels of stress and help you to navigate times of spiked anxiety. Not every day will be easy, but every step forwards is an incredible positive achievement. You will learn how to overcome covid anxiety and stress in 2021! You’ve got this!
