Coping strategies during challenging times

There is no denying that we are living in challenging times. Times where what has previously felt stable and secure, now feels unsteady and fragile.

Since the announcement of lockdown in March 2020, there has been a fundamental shift in how we approach and live our lives. The collective shock of that time, whether it directly impacted us, in terms of work, or we knew anyone who became ill, there can be no doubt that we felt and experienced it in some way. It gave us the feeling that unexpected things can happen in our lives, shaking our world in ways we didn’t know were possible.

We were just starting to recover from the shock and starting to feel we had come through the pandemic when we were hit with the cost-of-living crisis, another threat to our safety and security.

If we step back a moment and look in at the last 2 years and what is happening now, it is no wonder that we are living more fearfully. The dictionary defines fear as ‘an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm.’ I think we can agree that what we are living feels like a threat of pain or harm, what is happening is shaking our very foundations and the system on which we have become dependent is no longer steady.

When we are in a state of fear, we are in fight or flight, our stress response. We are using the reactive part of our brain. This stress response prevents us using fully the areas of our brain responsible for rational thinking and emotional control. This is what can lead us into feeling we have no control over a situation, hoping that someone or something will provide us with a solution. This constant state of fear and stress also impacts our health as the body is under constant stress.

Although I am not able to offer you a solution to the current and what feels like constant crisis that are happening in the world around us, I am able to offer some ways to help you to re set a little. To, even if just for a few moments, calm the reactive brain, re-engaging the rational and emotional brain, allowing you some precious moments outside of fear and stress.

Remember that you are not alone

The current times are to a greater or lesser degree impacting everyone, not only in the UK but across the globe. Part of what makes us human is mutual support, being there for each other when things are tough. So, reach out, speak to someone, share your fears, it is very likely that you will find empathy, as people are probably feeling very much like you are.

Now is the time to put aside differences, to unite as one human family, to come together and share, to support and lean on each other. How does this help? It gives us strength and the reassurance that we are not facing whatever comes at us alone. We live in a divided world; the media puts us into groups. Now is the time to put those labels aside and to look more deeply at the people around us, to see their suffering and to really see their humanity, because together we are stronger.

Think about what you can control

As humans we like to feel in control wherever possible, which is why when things we can’t control are happening, we can become so fearful. Think about what you can control in your life, what is possible for me, even when things feel impossible? What can I control within my immediate environment? When we start to think like this, we don’t feel so much that life is happening to us, we feel more in control, we start to find solutions and feel more empowered.

Breathe

It sounds really simple, but it is very effective. When we are in a state of fear or stress, our breathing can become shallow, we don’t oxygenate our body properly. When things feel too much, you could even feel panicky, take a few moments and breathe deeply and slowly into the body.

Limit exposure to the news

The 24/7 loop of news can increase fear. Unfortunately, our news stations don’t give solutions or reassurance, instead they repeat constant bad news, increasing our worry and fears. As news is repeated over and over, do you really need to expose yourself to it constantly? Is exposing yourself to more fear going to help the situation? What if we used the time that we spend looking at the news and/or the internet, doing something that helps us to manage stress and fear? What would be different?

Get out into nature

As a nature coach, I am a real advocate for the power of the outdoors, taking a walk, breathing in the fresh air can really help us to calm down and change perspective. There are many scientific studies showing the incredible benefits that nature has on lowering blood pressure, increasing immunity, enhancing moods. The best thing about it is it is a free resource, perfect for these times! Nature also shows us so many examples of resilience, growing through adversity and recovering from weather changes are 2 examples. So, take a walk-in nature, breath and look deeply into what surrounds you, notice how you feel when you get home.

In these times, I feel we must never forget the strength of the human being, think of all that we have lived through and overcome in our past. Humans are part of nature, and like nature, we have the incredible ability to overcome, even if we don’t realise it.  Although right now things can feel uncertain and unpredictable, we don’t really know what may come of this. Fear will paint the worst possible scenario, but we don’t know for sure. As the saying goes, hope is the last thing to die, and it is my hope that we will come together, we will support each other, and we will find a way. We will find our resilience and through this resilience and collective strength, find new ways forward. Let us hope that this crisis gives birth to something more equal, something more sustainable and something more focused on the wellbeing of this human family.

This is a guest blog post by our Business Hub member Marie Dove who runs Marie Dovie Life Coaching. To find out more about her work, click here. Alternatively, if you would like to find out more about our Business Hub and its members, please click here.