Happy Thanksgiving Week! It is a happy and sad time all wrapped up in one turkey.
We all have things to be thankful for while at the same time most of us are directly or indirectly affected by COVID. In this unfortunate time, 2020 Thanksgiving will not be the same for most. For me personally, we have decided to take precaution and cancel our normal gathering with my grandma. It was a hard decision but a few of the family members will be visiting her to keep her mental health in the forefront. While this is not ideal, keeping both our mental and physical health in good condition is the most important thing at this time. This situation will be the case for many, here at Rooted Planning Group we put together a list of things we can all do to stay mentally healthy during our COVID Thanksgiving.
1) Respect and Acknowledge your Feelings
This may sound corny, however, sometimes being able to recognize how we feel is the most important step. Not allowing ourselves to be trapped in our emotions will allow us to be more in control of our response to these emotions. Most people avoid emotions because they are uncomfortable. This is counterproductive and only creates a cycle of internal turmoil. Psychology Today lists the following steps to identify our feelings:
Take your emotional temperature
Identify your Stressors
Notice if you start judging what you feel
Speak about your feelings
Let go of the fear
2) Reach out to Loved Ones
This is such an easy thing to do but too often does not happen. Reach out to family and friends that you are not able to spend time with. The small things can mean so much to some, especially those who live alone. Below are a few creative ways to make your loved ones feel special:
Call and spend quality time on the phone with them or facetime them
Mail them a card or care package
Put together a video for them
Send them flowers
Deliver a meal (COVID safe of course)
Play a game over Zoom
3) Feed your Mind
Being mindful of what we eat and how it will affect our emotions is very important. We would never recommending taking away the sweets, instead we will recommend some healthy food to incorporate to boost your mood.
Turkey - contains tryptophan and is a mood booster
Spices - get to seasoning. Spices such as cinnamon, will lift those spirits.
Leafy Greens - these have mood and energy-boosting vitamins and minerals, such as folate, which regulates the production of serotonin
Color up your plate - eat a variety of fruits and veggies for all different types of health benefits
4) Keep Active
Staying active is hard to do during the holidays, especially during COVID. Spend time relaxing and unwinding, however, block off a few hours to get in some physical activity. You can always go for a brisk walk, do a short workout, or find a project to complete around the house that you have been putting off. Regardless of your activity, the important thing is not to be a couch potato and let yourself feel sluggish. When our bodies feel this way, it leads to our minds feeling this way.
5) Give Thanks!
This one is easy to say but remember to actually do it. This can be paired up with reaching out to a loved one. Thank someone special in your life. Make a phone call or video for someone special thanking them for being them and being part of your life.
We hope this article is helpful during the COVID pandemic and from everyone here at Rooted Planning Group, Happy Thanksgiving!