*Two Minute Read (Para leer en español, haga clic aquí)

We are smack dab in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. I can only speak for myself in saying adjusting and trying to find a new normal amongst so much chaos has been a challenge.

I’m grieving the life I had just a few weeks ago and simultaneously trying to see opportunity in the midst of the uncertainty. It’s hard!  So, so hard!

Some days I want to curl up in bed and cry. Other days I don’t allow my thoughts to go to stressful and anxious places and try to simply move past them.

I’ve found my best, most positive, and most productive days are the ones where I honor my thoughts and feelings while also controlling the amount of time and energy I allow them to consume.

Sometimes this means writing down what triggered the feelings followed by a few minutes of breathing exercises.

Or sometimes I step outside to feel the warmth of the sunshine on my face and try reframing my anxious thoughts into the opportunity they also present.

Or maybe it’s just crying and eating a cookie (or ten!).

Or just hugging my kids to remind me (and them) that I am/we are loved and needed.

One of my favorite coping tools is a walk around the block listening to a favorite song.  One of my favorites is The Wood Song by the Indigo Girls. It makes me bawl like a baby which can be incredibly cathartic.

My other choice is Walk by the Foo Fighters.  This one reminds me that I’m strong and resilient and that I can and will get through this and be stronger on the other side.

What songs motivate you for some sort of release?

We all cope in our own ways and only you know what will sustain you, your mental, and physical health over this long haul of uncertainty. But once you figure out what those coping skills are for you, they can become some of the best tools in your toolbox for life.

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 Stevie Cromer is the Cultural and Enrichment Manager for LUNA Language Services. Stevie regularly provides engaging content to LUNA’s team to encourage a culture of care within our own LUNA family. For more suggestions and resources about how you might build a culture of care throughout your organization, please reach out to Stevie at stevie@LUNA360.com.