The Antidote To Everything

We have never needed Resilience Rituals more than we do right now, with the outbreak of Coronavirus behind us, economic uncertainty in Countries, so many storms, droughts & floods, amongst other unrest in the world in the last few years.

Firstly I wish to send my love and sympathy to anyone who or whose family has been negatively affected by any of the above directly.

Let's get down to it.

Tomorrow is Harmony Day. This coincides with the United Nations' International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination . The ongoing theme of Harmony Day is 'everyone belongs'.

So, what does Harmony mean to you?

In the Cambridge Dictionary it is defined as a noun....a 'doing' word. So we must 'do' something to experience harmony.

It is defined as:

I also know that the longer this goes on, the more that small to medium businesses will be affected and there will be job losses, which obviously effects the overall health of our economies around the world.

Certain industries that require large numbers of people going outside their homes like tourism, hospitality, travel, luxury and designer brands, events and entertainment like musicals and theaters etc. are really going to feel this.

However, in life there is always the opposite....black and white, hot and cold, up and down, happy and sad...I could list off a whole lot more 'opposites' as examples but I think you get the idea.

So, here is the opposite......most of us have realised that other 'indoor' types of businesses will thrive, like anything that can be accessed online such as entertainment like Netflix and the Disney channel, online gaming, courses, online shopping sites like Amazon, Ebay etc.

I know some people will look at this as a time of great opportunity and others will hibernate, stock-pile food (and toilet paper of course - who would have thought that would be some of our initial reactions!!), spend a stack of time on social media or watching the news, hearing about and expecting worst case scenario and potentially also numbing themselves with gaming, TV, alcohol, junk food and whatever else takes their fancy.

Many will carry on as normal, if they are able to work from home or offices and will be relatively unaffected.

Many will choose to spend time on their hobbies, spend quality time with their families and friends, write, cook and exercise at home and avoid the media, the 'hype' and anything that makes them feel bad....which are, no doubt, healthier options.

Others will look at ways of solving the problem, helping others through this time, improving processes and improving their own and others worlds somehow.

What I can tell you is that we have not seen a virus effect us worldwide in such a way and how we react to it is completely up to us.

It is totally normal to feel anxiety, fear and uncertainty at a time like this, especially if you or your family are medically or financially affected.

I say to you "No matter what happens, you will find your way through it, as we all will."

If you are feeling this way, please feel free to download my free video worth $197 called  "When Adversity & Perhaps Also Anxiety Gets The Best Of You"  which will take you through some steps to help you deal with your feelings in the most healthy way possible and leave you feeling better.

Remember, you live. You are breathing. You woke up today. The sun rose today. Some things to be grateful for, no?

I read something the other day that said..."Morning is God's way of saying one more time....go make a difference, touch a heart, encourage a mind, inspire a soul and enjoy the day (Source: lessons learned in life)." Maybe even save a life along the way.

The key is FOCUS......continue to focus on things you can control and the difference you want to make in the world and in your world too with family, community, business groups. Stay inspired and connected to your own vision, and surround yourself with good people who support each others dreams and goals.

I write a lot about love, and I found myself singing this song this morning...

So, let's love ourselves and each other and act in a way that contributes to the to the continued harmony of the world.

Having said this, here are 12 very practical ways to make yourself and others feel good, act with Wisdom, be a better version of yourself and contribute to a greater level of harmony during this time:

1. Journal or write before bed (and in the mornings if you wish) to unload any negative thoughts or feelings and then start thinking about an action list of what you could do to contribute to your business, start a new business, apply for new work, help other people, make people feel good or contribute in some positive way to others.

2.  Create a morning ritual that helps you feel good which may involve journaling, listening to uplifting music, some kind of movement, breakfast with your family or friends and whatever else makes you feel good.

3. Pat your pets, who will love the extra attention at this time! This will make you and them feel good - studies have been conducted on how the presence of animals uplifts people in old age homes. During busy periods, perhaps do your best not to be too busy for a 1-5 minute pat as you feed them. A smile at them can change how they feel too! A quick walk around the block with a fur baby can change everything.

4.  Maintain a healthy diet, and increase your intake of fresh fruit and veg (including lots of garlic and vitamin C loaded foods like Kiwi, grapefruit, lemon, broccoli & cauliflower, and for those who like the taste, brussel sprouts) to build your immune system.

5. If cooking is your thing why not make and eat a healthy home baked dessert for fun, that you haven't in a while....just because you want to...like apple pie! Your family and friends will love your initiative! Maybe invite the kids into the kitchen.

6. Supplements are be a good idea, like a multi vitamin with B3 in it along with Vitamin C supplements.

7. Get plenty of sleep....my Nan used to say that an extra hour before midnight is worth two after midnight!

8. Keep laughing and smiling...find something to smile about, even if you are forcing yourself or it feels like hard work...

9. Keep moving, stretching and exercising frequently throughout the day...even if it is just a walk, or 10 mins on an exercise bike or running around your backyard...keep moving as this helps with increased good feelings and is an anxiety buster as when you get your blood flowing and your body moving, you release endorphins which combat stress. Also neurotransmitters like serotonin or norepinephrine are released that help teach your body how to better respond to stressors. ...higher levels of these chemicals released during exercise naturally make you feel good.

10. Keep in touch with loved ones at home by email and phone, especially if you need to stay at home or are isolating yourself or are affected by the virus negatively. Everyone needs each other even more than normal right now and we cannot assume everyone is ok until we actually check in with them. If you suspect they need help, alert others close to them and maybe work on a roster of calls and visits (if possible). A conversation with someone to get their concerns off their minds can raise people's spirits massively.

11. Reach out if you feel like you need emotional support...there are always the help lines like beyond blue in Australia and similar in many others in other Countries. Perhaps also get a full medical to check you don't have something going on with your body that you are unaware of, like perhaps Thyroid issues.

12. Take a weekend off and relax every once and a while...perhaps get up late, lounge around in your PJ's, with your kids if you have them, & play some beautiful music like this...

Antidote by Guy Sebastian

....and let your body rest as RR stands for Resilience Rituals, but also stands for Rest & Recovery as this gives you energy to get going again if you feel a little burnt out.

We would love to hear what other methods you are undertaking at this time so please contribute to the comments on this blog.

Copyright 2020; (Updated with Guy Sebastian's song in 2024!)