Emotional Wellbeing in Cumbria- self help and happiness during a global pandemic

There is no shame in admitting that living through and in a global pandemic has taken a toll on your mental health, but on a positive note there are many things you can do to help yourself.

Acorns Therapy and Counselling services in the South Lakes, Cumbria, offer one to one counselling and therapy, which is a wonderful service to support your emotional wellbeing when you are in need of a little extra help.

There are also lots of little ways you can give your mental health a boost day to day.

• Keep a positive log

  It can be really difficult during stressful times to notice the positives, but however small, they are there.

  If you have children, you could make a '‘positive log’ for everyone. With my children they each drew a big picture of themselves smiling, and then each evening, we wrote down one thing that they had found fun, or good, or exciting that day, and one good thing they had done. Some days it would be that they got to have a bike ride, or talk to grandma, and that they helped tidy up, no matter how small, writing and sharing the positives helps you to notice them.

  This is brilliant for adults too, I often feel that we don’t praise ourselves enough, again you can commit to writing down something you did well and enjoyed each day. It can really help, if you live alone, to choose a friend or family member to do this with, even if it is just via a whatsapp message each night before bed.

• Stay active

  I know some people have come to hate the phrase “daily walk!” as it has almost been forced upon us, but staying active is so important for our wellbeing. Maybe you run up and downstairs a couple of times, join in with Joe Wicks (other online exercise classes are available!), go for a bike ride, jump on your children’s trampoline, put some music on and dance whilst you cook. Even if it is getting your heart pumping fast for 10 minutes, that matters. Walk the dog, do some gardening, the options are endless.

  Exercise helps us to feel more positive.

• Laugh

  We need to laugh, whether it is with our children, at a silly animal video on youtube, wathcing a comedy sketch on TV, at ourselves, with our family, at the many satirical posts about the current situation we are all in. Find ways to laugh, whatever they are.

• Get out in nature

  Living in the South Lakes, I am personally just north of Kendal, we are so lucky. We have so much nature all around, and the power of being out in nature is huge. You don’t have to go on a huge 20 mile hike up a local mountain though, just a 20 minute stroll out in nature, take in the sounds and smells, take your time and breathe. It will help.

• Have “me time”

  Now, I am a parent of 3 small children, and I honestly often feel I don’t stop, but actually I do stop.

• Please, even if you are busy, give yourself permission to take 5 minutes to sit with a coffee and a cake, breathe, ignore everything else, stand outside and look at the sky, go out and pick a few flowers, take some extra time to bake a treat, dance to the radio, have a bath, read, do some yoga breathing. There are some great guides on youtube to help with yoga and mindful breathing, why not try some out!

  Often taking a few lots of 10 minutes throughout the day can be easier for us with busy lives, to ensure some “me time”, then having a long stretch of doing something.

• Seek professional support

  If your mental health, or that of someone you love, has taken a downward spiral, do seek help. Here at South Lakes therapy I provide a wide range of therapeutic support, and am very happy to have a gentle and open discussion about what may help, and for you to explore how you feel about working with me. Seeking support can be scary sometimes, and I appreciate that, and I am highly experienced in taking things at your pace, and finding the therapy approach that will best meet you and your needs. South Lakes therapy offers person centred counselling, CBT, creative therapy, and therapeutic walk and talk sessions, from my South Lakes base, between Kendal and Staveley in Cumbria.

• Eat well (and treat yourself)

  Diet impacts our mood, it is important to have a balanced diet, and fresh fruit and vegetables, and to drink lots of water. Also enjoy that chocolate treat, the ice cream, that coffee to keep you going after your baby was up all night, don’t feel guilty, those little pleasures have just as important a role on wellbeing as the healthy diet does. Moderation matters.

  Try baking cakes, bread, food that you have to handle, having that physical connection with your food helps too .

• Connect

  It has often felt lonely and frustrating, being told you cannot see the people you care about the most. Connection is part of being alive, and most people do crave it. Not all, we are all unique and individual, but if you do, find the ways that help you feel most connected. Share photographs of your life with your friends and family, phone them up, have a chat over the wall with your neighbour, talk to the shop assistant whilst you load your shopping, say hello to others you pass on your walk, if you live with others, have cuddles, hold them, talk to them about anything and everything. Use the dreaded video calls if you can and like them. Write an old fashioned letter or card, getting post has a lovely way of helping people feel connected.

• Be mindful

  It is so easy to get stuck overthinking, worrying, and going over and over your concerns and worst case scenarios at the moment. So many people are experts at this. There are some lovely mindfulness apps online, to help you to take a few moments each day to let the negative thoughts come, pass through and go away, without you focussing on them and making them bigger. Yes, it takes some practice, and I can help with that if needed, but it is a really wonderful process to learn with huge benefits.