For the past few mornings, the first feeling I have when I open my eyes is a surge of adrenaline through my body. Anxiety. It’s a familiar feeling for me – and for many of us right now. Anxiety is not just emotional or psychological. It’s physical. And there are some steps we can take to help calm our minds, hearts, and bodies, starting with that first moment we wake up.
The First Thing We Think Of
The very first thing we put into our minds in the morning is important. How many of us reach for our phones the second we wake up and check our text messages, email, or social media – or more likely right now, the latest news updates?
What we look at, read, listen to first thing in the morning can impact our whole day.
What if the first words we allowed into our minds were God’s words? Try it! Instead of checking your phone, keep your Bible on your nightstand and open it to a Psalm or favorite passage of scripture, and let God’s promises flood your mind, first thing. If you use a Bible app on your phone and checking messages first is a temptation for you, try switching to your good old-fashioned hard copy of the Bible. There’s something comforting about holding it in your hands.
Breathe in the Fresh Air
One blessing of the timing of limited social interactions is that it’s nearly spring in many parts of the country. Even if there’s still snow on the ground where you are, or a chill in the air, or spring showers sprinkling on you, I encourage you to get outside and take a walk. The fresh air, open skies, and a little Vitamin D are good for our bodies and souls.
During one particularly stressful period of my life, my doctor “prescribed” a 20-minute brisk walk, outside, every day. Rain or shine. It was such good “medicine” for my soul. It wasn’t easy at first (battling the fatigue of depression), but it got easier each day, and it really made a difference.
It’s one of the things we can do right now, even as we’re being asked to avoid public places and social interactions.
Keep the Conversations Going
Speaking of limited social interactions, now is the perfect time to utilize apps like FaceTime, Skype, or whatever virtual face-to-face platform you prefer. Our adult kids are spread out along the West Coast, and we were all feeling a little anxious and missing each other, so we scheduled a family chat on FaceTime. It was really fun, good to connect, and made us feel like we were all together for an hour.
If you don’t have a smart phone or app for face-to-face conversations, even just picking up the phone right now and hearing your loved one’s or a friend’s voice is comforting. Call a friend today and just catch up.
I’ve been so moved by seeing family members communicating through the windows of a nursing home that is under quarantine in our area. Just seeing their loved one’s face through glass and hearing their voice on the phone is giving people peace during what must be one of the hardest waiting periods they’ve ever experienced.
How can you create those same kind of connections during a time that may feel isolating to most of us? Share your ideas in the comments below.
Write It Down
I’ve always found it therapeutic to keep a journal and write down my thoughts – however anxious, stressed, and honest they may be. It helps to release them by writing them down. Often, these anxious thoughts turn into prayers. Pouring our hearts out to God on paper also allows us to look back and see how He’s answered those prayers.
If you don’t have a journal, grab a pad of paper and start writing, especially if you feel like you need to vent your feelings in a safe way.
Give God Your Burdens
Remember, prayer is just talking with God. He’s always available, always present, never distracted or preoccupied, and the best listener we could have! Take some time – first thing in the morning, or at any time of day, or in the car, or on a walk, and share your thoughts, feelings, needs, fears, praises, and thanks with God. He’ll gladly take them from your shoulders to His.
Make a Gratitude List
Sometimes we need a change in perspective. This can be hard when stress and anxiety are real, but making a list of what’s good in your life right now can help make that mindset shift.
Did you see a first flower of spring blooming on your walk this morning? Did you enjoy a hot cup of coffee? Did you sleep in a warm bed last night? Enjoy a good meal yesterday? Receive an answer to prayer? Write these blessings down and remind yourself of what’s good right now.
Go easy on yourself right now. Many people are feeling anxious and uncertain – even afraid – right now. Give yourself some grace as you take steps to relieve feelings of anxiety. But do take steps. It always helps to feel like we have options and can do something to feel better.
At World Concern, we are praying with and for our friends, partners, staff, and supporters right now. Our ministry is not just to the people we serve in hard-to-reach communities – it’s to you. We hope this information is helpful as we all walk through this historic experience together.
Cathy Herholdt serves as Senior Communications Director at World Concern, where she uses stories to connect people in North America with those living in the remote communities where World Concern works.