5 Tips to Help You Cope with Returning to a New Normal During COVID-19
5 Helpful Strategies for Anxiety and Overwhelm When Returning to New Normal During COVID-19
Last week I shared the challenges and anxiety that may be present with returning to a new normal. As states loosen up on safety measures and the COVID-19 vaccine is becoming more available, fears of the virus still exist.
There is no right or wrong way to feel about any of this.
As the country moves forward into the next phases, you may experience a lot of different feelings. Some of those feelings may even seem to be contradicting. And that’s okay too because your feelings are valid and can shift and change.
For example, you may feel excited to return to going to your local farmers' market. At the same time, you feel nervous about being in a public place with more people than you've seen over the past year.
Another example is feelings of happiness, guilt, or shame about wanting to go out and visit family members or attend an event.
This week I am going to share with you some tips on ways to cope with the anxieties of returning to a new normal. If you missed part one, check out the blog post from last week. I share about anxiety related to COVID-19 and how therapy can be helpful.
The Impact of COVID-19: The Anxiety of Returning to Old Behaviors in the New Normal
I am a therapist in Wilmington, NC, and specialize in counseling for women with anxiety. I focus on anxiety treatment, treatment for perfectionism, therapy for imposter syndrome, and burnout counseling. I use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and mindfulness. I am licensed in Maryland so I can provide therapy online to anyone located in Maryland and North Carolina.
Online Therapy in Maryland
Online Therapy in North Carolina
Check out some of these helpful blogs for more information:
What is Perfectionism and How to Treat Perfectionism
What to Expect When You Start Therapy for Anxiety
Burnout: What to Do When it is More Than Just Hating Your Job
What is Mindfulness and How is it Used in Anxiety Therapy?
Is Online Therapy Right for Me?
If you are interested in scheduling a free consultation with me to get started in therapy, click the button below.
Continue reading to check out the helpful tips below.
5 Tips to Help Reduce Anxiety and Stop Feeling Overwhelmed During COVID-19
Check out these 5 tips and see how you can start implementing them today!
1st Tip to Reduce Anxiety and Overwhelm: Practice Patience and Kindness with Yourself
One of the biggest things I hear from my therapy clients is how hard they are on themself.
“I am my own worst critic.”
Often it becomes one of the things we work on the most in therapy. The idea and practice of self-kindness and self-compassion. Or developing patience and giving yourself grace when facing hard things rather than beating yourself up. We will work to end the “should” statements.
For my anxious folks, when there is a change or uncomfortable feelings involved it can be really easy to avoid feelings and situations or think negative thoughts.
There are a lot of changes happening in these current times. I encourage you to allow patience and kindness for yourself. Try using mindfulness, taking small actionable steps, or saying kind things to yourself.
2nd Tip to Reduce Anxiety and Overwhelm: Limit Social Media and the News
I can’t say this one enough! It is so easy to get caught up in information overload these days. We get it emailed to us, in our social media feed, dedicated channels on the tv. Instantly, we have access to it 24/7.
Besides getting the news 24/7 from everywhere, we also see our social media feeds. Don’t get me wrong social media is great at times. Social media keeps us connected to our friends and family. It lets us watch cute animal videos, and I can explore almost any country or cool destination.
The downside of social media is that it becomes easy to compare yourself to what others are doing or not doing. Like Suzy, your one-time lab partner from Biology 101 class from 12 years ago.
Setting healthy boundaries with media intake is okay. Next time you're reading the news or scrolling social media, I encourage you to check in with yourself. How do you feel? Does it make you feel good? What kind of content are you seeing? How much time has passed?
It is okay to check, assess, and adjust as needed.
3rd Tip to Reduce Anxiety and Overwhelm: Continue to Embrace the Changes that Have Worked for You
The Hustle and Bustle.
I don’t know about you, but I am all too familiar with the hustle and bustle lifestyle. Although I imagine if you are reading this you probably do.
I was born and raised in Maryland about 45 to 60 minutes outside of the DC and Baltimore areas. Even that far out the hustle and bustle mentality reached me. It impacts everything from your mindset, to how business is done, and even your self-care.
This is one of the biggest reasons I moved to Wilmington, NC. A slower pace. Now, in no way was it like "POOF" magic. But, changing my environment helped me do what I needed to take a step back, get some perspective, and pivot.
In short, certain things may have worked during quarantine and helped you to create a healthier life. If so, continue to do those things.
If Sunday afternoons developed into quality family time without technology, keep doing it.
If your job now has the option to work remotely for part of the week or the whole week and you enjoy it, keep it up.
Developed a new love of making some awesome charcuterie boards? Rock that shit!
What are some changes that benefited you due to the quarantine during the pandemic?
4th Tip to Reduce Anxiety and Overwhelm: Focus on Your Values
Take inventory of what is important to you. What your values are.
What are they? Have they remained constant? Did they shift or change? Do you want them to change?
This may be something you have thought about during quarantine, or not. Maybe this is some food for thought. But often when we can identify what our values are and align with them. This makes it easier to help make changes and give a direction.
5th Tip to Reduce Anxiety and Overwhelm: Be Open and Flexible
Something that has resonated this past year has been the work to try and remain open and flexible. When change happens, anxiety can be abundant.
The more you can be open and flexible with your acceptance of what is happening or what you are experiencing the easier it can be to go forward.
Thus, the more you allow space for self-compassion and kindness.
Begin Anxiety Treatment in Wilmington, NC
If you have noticed an increase in anxiety because of COVID-19, reach out and get some support. There are a lot of changes that have happened and will continue as we navigate through the pandemic.
I offer support from my Wilmington, NC-based therapy practice and provide online therapy to anyone located in Maryland and North Carolina.
You can start your therapy for anxiety today by following these simple steps:
Schedule your free consultation by clicking the button below
Complete the brief questionnaire sent to your email
Meet with your new caring therapist
Begin to reduce anxiety and live the life you have been waiting for
Other Services at Calm Waters Counseling in Wilmington, NC
I provide counseling for women. I specialize in providing anxiety treatment, treatment for perfectionism, therapy for imposter syndrome, and burnout counseling. I can help you to understand your anxiety, reach your goals, and start living the life you have wanted to live. Learn more about me and my therapy practice, Calm Waters Counseling, to see how my services can be a support for you.
Let’s start today!
Written by: Laura Rippeon, LCSW, LCSW-C
Updated 3/12/23