Spending even more time than usual on your phone (like most of us)? With so much content bombarding us from every angle, it’s more important than ever to choose what we consume. It’s definitely important to stay up-to-date on the latest information as it relates to us, but getting stuck in an infinite scroll of bad news is enough to make anyone afraid. Yes, it’s a lot easier said than done these days while communities mourn, conspiracy theories abound, and medical appointments fade away. Hold it for a moment and then notice how you feel afterward. Tonight, instead of scrolling through your Facebook feed for more shares of the same news, take three minutes to scribble down something you’re grateful for. Did you feel the sun on your face today? See a pandemic meme that nearly made you pee your pants? Make it through a panic attack? Spend the entire day in your underwear? It all counts! Gratitude is about appreciating the positive aspects of your situation, even the very small ones, rather than comparing yourself to others.Įven in the midst of public health and economic chaos, it can help to write down as little as one thing you’re grateful for (but shoot for at least three) to ground you and give you something to hold on to. We’ve all heard the science the past several years about how practicing gratitude actually rewires our brain. Meditation looks different for everyone!Ī small moment of awareness and meditation can even turn into something we appreciate and look forward to. ![]() Maybe it means putting aside the phone when you have morning tea or coffee and just enjoying the inner warmth, or taking a few deep breaths in the shower while you wash your hair. It doesn’t mean stopping all thoughts, rather noticing them float by, like clouds on a gentle breeze. It doesn’t have to look like a pretzel-legged yogi with a stick-straight back chanting with their eyes closed - if it does, great! Sometimes meditating just means bringing awareness to the breath, or how you’re feeling in the present moment. The thing about meditation, is that it teaches us to be in the present moment. And when they weave with the existing what ifs of life with endo, that can quickly become overwhelming. The thing about anxiety is that it lives in the future, the land of ‘what ifs.’ And when the world has essentially come to a halt, that leaves a whole lot of room for what ifs to grow. Let’s be honest, we’re all sick of hearing that one person ask if we’ve tried yoga or meditation to help with endometriosis, even if we know the incredible benefits of meditation on depression, anxiety, and chronic pain. So, we can’t magically make coronavirus go away and have everything return to normal how are we supposed to avoid flare-ups when it seems like the whole world is flaring up together? Unfortunately for people with endo and chronic pain, this means heightened pain signals and an increased likelihood of experiencing a flare. When a threat to our species exists - like, say, a global virus pandemic - our brain shifts into fight or flight mode and is on tense alert for a threat to our health. These wonderfully complicated organs are hardwired to recognize threats and react quickly to keep us safe and alive. ![]() When we’re under chronic stress - like the stress that comes from living with endo - our brains react more sensitively to pain. Financial stress, being unable to work, caring for family members, and managing our health when the medical system is being stretched to its limits all take a serious toll on our physical and mental health. Anyone dealing with endometriosis or another chronic condition knows how easily additional stress can trigger a flare-up.
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