top of page
Search

5 Ways to Decompress and Be Your Best Self In Times of Uncertainty

  • Writer: Heather Cushing-Gordon
    Heather Cushing-Gordon
  • Mar 4, 2022
  • 5 min read

Updated: Mar 5, 2022

Well, it's certainly been a few weeks.

The affects of what's transpired has been heavy, and felt world-wide.

The last 2 years of on again off again restrictions and quarantines around the world has had a massive affect on our collective mental health.

Finding yourself again after so much change and transition, is difficult. The changes these days appear to be daily and although we all just seem to motor along, the question is how are you doing? How are you handling this? Is your brave exterior really a match for what's going on inside?


And this is where we begin today's thoughts. Today I offer 5 ways to decompress and be your best self in this time in history.


Here though are the top 5 ways to find yourself again:


  1. Take space. When taking space, I'm referring to you taking a moment in time to just be. Just breathe. Just have a moment. I know you are busy. But even busy people - drive cars, walk to bus stops, use the restroom (ya, so?!). We all have moments. One of them. To just take a breath. To just reclaim your body - come on back inside of yourself instead of fighting and flight-ing (not a word!) all day long. You can just be. And you should try to take those moments any time you can. I just met with the amazing Miranda Thomson Lee who does this great work with families and their children. The stories she shared are truly transformational and I just loved meeting with her and seeing her passion for her field. She recommends that you just take these moments to breathe and it can be in that moment all you need to carry on. We forget as humans how powerful breathing can be, how important it can be and how much we all need it. So don't forget to just let all the pain points, stress and worries fade for a split second. Take a great big inhale to fill your lungs right up to the top and then slowly release it all out. If you can take 5-10 of these deep clarifying breaths you will save the moment for yourself and those around you.

  2. Move your body. Moving is part of life. But our home offices and Zoom meeting rooms are getting the best of all of our "bums"!!! As important as it is to work and make money, it's also really important to move your body, break a sweat and just push your body into the next level of it's functioning. I likely don't have to tell you all the benefits, but here you go --> increased lung capacity, increased heart function, reduced susceptibility to disease and so many more great benefits of staying active. My friends and I keep ourselves accountable to each other and commit to actions each day to keep moving. I even go so far as to collect medals by walking and keeping track of my distance. Then I add those distances to the challenge and earn beautiful medals at the end. In addition, it's really incredible to work with an accountability partner . Keeping yourself moving, even in the winter (Canadian here!), is of most importance.

  3. Fill your mind. When we listen to our inner critic we can tell ourselves all sorts of stories that are less than accurate and don't paint a particularly pretty picture. "Oh you dummy" frequently hangs out inside my brain. However, taking those times when I'm really not kind to myself and popping in my ear buds to listen to a podcast or motivational music or affirmations really helps fill the space between my ears with learning and motivation and drowns out my inner critic. It's easy to see other people online doing great things and being most amazing humans. And though some of what we see is accurate, the majority of someone's life isn't actually their full reality - they share what they want. Being mindful that what you see isn't actually what is true while also replacing the negative thoughts of "I'm not good enough" and other common self doubts at 10 Heather Lane (between my own ears) is really important. So pushing those aside, learning something, hearing something positive will help you move forward in your day to day as you make simple changes to move back towards yourself.


  1. Smile. It's amazing what a simple action can do. When you smile, just lifting up the corners of your mouth all of a sudden you can feel happier and maybe even sit or stand up straighter than you did before. It's actually is backed by science that shows that smiling to another human is not only adaptive and evolutionary but also enhances your attractiveness. A challenge my daughter does with her grandmother is to see who can smile at the most people. It has taught my daughter that the world is not a scary place and that people are good. Give the muscles around your mouth a little more exercise after having them behind masks for so many months. Show us all how attractive you are and how our species will survive!

  2. Adventure. Maybe rock climbing or hurling yourself out of a moving plane isn't what you had in mind, (me neither, actually) but making plans to take a mini-vacation, take a girls weekend, visit the local vineyard or just have an amazing night with close friends can bring your spirits up and give you something to look forward. It doesn't matter what the "adventure" is nor does it particularly matter if anyone else thinks of it as an adventure too. In your mind and your heart you will be doing something in the near future. It is one of the things they use in senior care to ward off depression and loneliness. Providing a fun experience sometime in the future give your brain happy thoughts as you plan out and think about what it might be like.

There are so many great ways to trick your brain and take back the control you so desperately need to find after such shocking news waves and after such a long and depressive time. Simple little steps are all that's needed.


If you ever want to reach out to learn more about my programs and offerings, please follow this link: https://linktr.ee/lifeinbal


You can also follow me on:

IG - www.instagram.com/coachheathergordon or @coachheathergordon


Don't forget to sign up for my email list, I just love meeting new people and finding out more about you! https://mailchi.mp/bad6818a8492/971ktjxpq7


Have the most amazing day! Don't forget how important you are to those around you!


Love,

Heather xo





Comments

bottom of page