FULL ARTICLE HERE Life coach Maria Quayle-Guppy, from Reset Mindset in Kerikeri, said people going through difficult times often feel a significant loss of control.
People need to adjust their expectations of themselves and recognise things are constantly changing, she said.
“A lot of it comes down to when you’ve lost control of something. We don’t know what’s happening with the Covid levels changing, but the reality is in life we never know.
“Every day there are things that don’t go to plan. Things change but that’s okay, it’s normal.”
Telling yourself positive affirmations throughout the day can stop the brain from catastrophising, life coach Maria Quayle-Guppy says. Photo / Jenny Ling
Quayle-Guppy said it’s helpful to keep a routine and have “bite-sized goals”.
Belly breathing – by breathing slowly through your nose, filling your belly with air and releasing the air slowly from the mouth – is useful for staying grounded.
Being mindful is another way to notice what’s happening around you, she said.
“We can still have lots of moments of joy. Slow things down so you have got time to be living more presently.
“That can be as simple as watching your kids get muddy on the trampoline or setting things up so that you’re still able to have enough balance in your day-to-day life.”
Quayle-Guppy said creating a weekly plan and prioritising what is important helps people stay focused.
Make sure to include all aspects of life including exercise, hobbies, work, relationships, finance, education, healthy food and spirituality.
Telling yourself positive affirmations throughout the day can “stop the brain from catastrophising”.
“Fill your mind with something positive which reassures you, otherwise what happens is your body just keeps making stress hormones so you’re constantly on edge.”
