By Tracey from Our Special Friends

Lockdown has made us all consider our own “wellbeing” at close quarters; exploring what makes us feel happier, healthier and stronger.  Covid-19 has taught us the importance of taking care of ourselves reflecting on what and who is important to us. 

It’s essential we recognise the signs and triggers that negatively impact our own mental health so that we can take positive action to restore equilibrium.

Identifying signs will feel different to each of us and can include: – poor concentration and being easily distracted, worrying more and finding it hard to make decisions. You may be feeling overwhelmed by thing, tearful and emotional and/or more irritable. These are all signs that you need to take time out and do something nourishing for your own wellbeing.

We may not always recognise the signs but by adding some simple steps to remind you to take time out for yourself can help to you to fit wellbeing into your schedule no matter how busy you are. Talking with others about what works for them could help you to recognise what would work for you. Making these activities part of your everyday routine will help you to feel happier, energised, connected and healthier. Making simple changes to how you live doesn’t need have to be anything major or cost a fortune.

Here are 10 things can make a real difference.

1. Food and mood Changes in blood sugar levels are linked to changes in mood and energy. Eating regularly maintains blood sugar levels. Not eating regularly can make you tired, irritable, anxious and cause poor concentration. Good tips include eating breakfast, eating every 3-4 hours, avoiding junk foods, eating plenty of fruit and veg and drinking lots of water. 
2. Keep active Physical activity helps release endorphins which can improve your mood. Making sure you do some physical exercise, even if you don’t feel like it, can give you quick results in improving your mood.
3. Drink sensibly Alcohol can cause depressive feelings, heightened anxiety, or feeling out of control in a way that feels unpleasant.
4. Express yourself Some people like to read to learn about the world, or escape into other worlds. Some people like to express their feelings through art, some like talking things through with others. Whatever your style, make sure you do express yourself – it will help you to stay connected.
5. Distract yourself When you are feeling immersed in a problem, let yourself switch off from it and go and do something completely different. When you return to it at a different time it may seem more manageable.
6. Ask for help How would you feel if a friend asked for help, advice or just wanted to talk things through? Many of us would be pleased to be chosen to confide in, it might make us feel valued. When you are feeling low in mood, or anxious, it is easy to think negatively about yourself and be less likely to seek support from others. Try and beat this feeling and approach people that you trust to talk to.
7. Learn to take time out and relax People have lots of different ways of relaxing or having downtime from the stresses of life. These can be the things that you stop doing when you start to feel low in mood, or stressed, as you forget to be kind to yourself. A hot bath, listening to music, watching a film and hobbies going,
8. Do something you enjoy We are all unique and enjoy different things. You may not have found the thing that you enjoy yet, so try some different things out. You may have lost touch with activities that have given you pleasure in the past. 
9.  Remember your good points We all have them, and none of us is perfect either. It can be easy to think that others are more talented, more successful, have more opportunity than us, when you are feeling low in mood. Remind yourself about the things you do well, and looking for evidence of this can help to balance out critical thoughts about yourself, which tend to increase when we are stressed.
10. Self-help Use online resources and books that offer help and support, information and advice, or just give another perspective. Whatever works best for you.

Why it’s normal to feel anxious about a post -COVID future.

It’s no surprise that anxiety, depression, stress, low mood and other problems have soared as a result of the pandemic and that this is impacting our volunteers, staff and client’s lives and how they feel about resuming “normal” life, work, volunteering activities. We have all had time to get used to our enforced hibernation and like the safety of our own home whilst craving our old life.

“It is natural to feel anxious about a post-COVID future. “Over the course of the past 12 months we’ve developed new routines which will change once again after the lockdown is fully lifted. Change isn’t always easy to navigate, as the familiarity of routine, ability to plan and prepare and set our expectations, can be affected.

We recognise everyone will have a different story and want to go at a different pace and that’s ok. Transitioning to a new way isn’t a simple process and it can take time to adjust. Take small steps and don’t rush into doing things if you aren’t feeling up to it. Be Kind to Yourself and keep your four legged friends close.