Aren’t we all just exhausted by the whiplash of COVID over the holidays and into this new year? As I write this, I am recovering from what is hopefully just a nasty cold (PCR test endlessly pending). The disruption and anxiety of “living with COVID” can be mentally and physically depleting.
I am writing about this today because cognitive-behavioral therapy is all about gaining perspective. I admit, I am struggling to feel positive today. So I am going to utilize some of the techniques and strategies we teach daily here at CTWPS to shift my thinking:
Get the Stress Physically Out:
I will allow myself to punch a pillow, cry, go for a run, or rant about my frustrations for 10-20 minutes to get real physiological release. Then I will intentionally stop.
Meditate:
I will rest my mind afterwards, and meditate for 15 minutes.
Getting Perspective through Reframing:
I will shift my perspective by using the technique of reframing:
My Catastrophic Thinking Today: I am so sick of COVID. This sucks and I feel like it’s never going to end. I can’t take it anymore!
My Reframe: Although I struggle with my optimism, I am still relatively unharmed physically by this virus, and am following all recommended health protocols to prevent and mitigate COVID. I count my blessings that no one in my family has been hospitalized with COVID. In spite of the surge, children are in school and able to socialize, we are still able to work and support our patients, and the city is active and vibrant as compared to last year. I have been able to see my friends and loved ones regularly since the summer. The options for treating and mitigating this virus are now numerous compared to last year. This powerful country has given unprecedented resources to defending against this virus (and I believe this bodes well for our healthcare for generations to come). While I wish this was over for all of us, it is also NOT destroying me. Compared to many, my suffering is more than manageable, and some suffering is part of life.
The key to reframing is to tell the truth in as neutral a way as possible and in some detail, as this helps us shift our perspective realistically. We can not just say “Everything is great!” and expect to be convinced. We are all smarter than that. But when we are in a foul mood, our perspective is naturally narrowed.
I am happy to say, my brief exercise above has shifted my mood positively and only took about 25 minutes. Since our moods can shift throughout the day for a variety of reasons, I hope using some of these strategies will help you as well. I wish you all a happy and healthy New Year!