Both life and death offer us a choice. The experience of death lasts a short time and has less variety, but the adventure of living is longer, and offers us more options.
Underlying people’s perceptions surrounding the Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic is an immense level of stress and anxiety. This stress and anxiety is cetainly justified as people have faced and are facing the situation of having had friends and family members who have died or have been infected and face a long recovery time because of COVID-19. There is also the educational element with both teachers and students having to adapt to online teaching and learning. People, around the world, have had their lives turned upside down in so many ways.
Recently presented in the Monitor on Psychology (Jan/Feb 2021), some statistics regarding significant sources of stress in people’s lives are:
- Nearly 78% of adults say COVID-19.
- 63% of adults say the economy.
- 59% of adults, regardless of race, report police violence toward minorities.
- 33% cite discrimination.
- Gen Z adults (ages 18-23) are the most likely age group to report experiencing common symptoms of depression, with 75% noting in the prior 2 weeks they felt so tired they sat around and did nothing.
- 51% of Gen Z teens (ages 13-17) say the pandemic has made planning for their future feel impossible.
Did you know there is a core foundation for helping people move purposely to a brighter tomorrow?
This core foundation is about changing how you view, cope with, and respond, not only, to your view of COVID-19 but also to your life’s many tumultuous circumstances. This core foundation is having mental wellness.
Mental wellness is the core foundation for overcoming life’s challenges. We are presented with daily stresses and hurdles; mental wellness leads you to functioning mentally at your best and optimally experiencing all aspects of living to realize your full potential.
Mental wellness is different than mental health. In general, mental health focuses much on the past and the problem. Mental health works to get you unstuck, to remove the problem, or help you adapt to a better stage. Mental wellness is about using backward design, which focuses first on keeping the end in mind.
Mental wellness is expressed in and manifest through MindFulChoiceTM. When you use MindFulChoice™, you focus on what happened, rather than why it happened. “Why?” gives you only subjective judgements; however, by asking “What?” you get information about the impact of the problem that can help you generate possible solutions.
As a solution-focused process, MindFulChoiceTM is a method for making changes, overcoming resistance, and living in a mindful way, by using the 3-T rule: “Think Things Through.” Impulsivity and inattention are at the root of most problems in people’s lives. MindFulChoice™ was designed to help minimize the impact they have on your decisions and behavior. With MindFulChoice™ you can avoid many of those problems, including uncontrolled anger, mishandled relationships, procrastination, forgetfulness, excessive risk-taking and poor time management.
Does This Sound Like You, Someone in Your Family, or a Colleague?
- Work From Home is a challenging situation. At times I feel disconnected though I want work to feel purposeful and bring success.
- My mind keeps ticking back to negative thoughts. I want more positive thoughts.
- I find it hard to be consistent. I want to become my best self – and make changes last.
How are you, your family, and your colleagues feeling?
As a coordinator with Mind Focused Coaching, there is help available. Reach out!
My contact information is: coaching@csp-llc.org
I wish you well!
