How are you?! No, honestly, how really are you? Don’t you find it that this pandemic and lockdown has left you with low self-confidence and struggling to find the self-motivation for work and other areas of your life? Talking to my friends, I’ve become wear it’s now a wellbeing issue for some of us (well most of us) and it’s a new thing that we are, as a generation have to work on, AGAIN, like there isn’t enough to work on and grow anyway, this adds to it! But, it’s kind of allow us to face our reality in a whole new light, no?
Whether you’ve been living alone or have lost touch with friends and family, or have been furloughed or lost your job, this pandemic has left most of us with a battered ego and low self-esteem. This one crazy thing has created a “perfect storm of vulnerabilities with huge numbers of us have been ill-prepared to manage”. Covid-19 has affected our self-confidence in so many ways, I’ve seen friends turning to drink more, I’ve noticed friends who are feeling withdrawn and nervous with the concept of going out, or just generally feeling more anxious or stressed. It’s increasing the strain on relationships. You get parents blocking out their feelings to be strong for their kids. And yes, for all of us, a struggle with the change in lifestyle as well. Loneliness has increased. Some are looking to social media for validation or reassurance and this can have the opposite effect, it can impact you negatively in ways that you can’t notice at this moment in time.
So, as we all go through our moments of realisation with this crazy historical moment, I wanted to share five tips that I’ve practiced on my self and has helped me use this time to grow and challenge any negative thoughts, boost my self-esteem and get me back on track to a life that I want to build outside of this pandemic:
- Identify negative self-talk – spot situations when you question yourself the most – it can help you to anticipate and prepare.
- Check-in with yourself – Stopping and pausing, being mindful of what’s on your mind and how you’re feeling, can help you to turn it around
- Listen to what you’re saying to yourself – Don’t ignore it, hear it, and make a note, as if you were keeping a journal.
- Challenge what you’re telling yourself – is there any fact to this? What would I be telling a friend in a similar situation? Can I do anything to change what I’m feeling bad about?
- Talk yourself up! Choose to acknowledge yourself, celebrate, compliment, forgive, and encourage yourself. It will feel uncomfortable at first, frustrating maybe, but it’s no different from learning to drive a car for the first time. Use expressions such as “I can and will …”, “I have the power to…, “I am capable of…” and “I’m proud of myself for…”
Let me know how you’ve been affected by this time and if you have any tips you wish to add to the list!
Stay home and Stay safe!
The content provided in this article is provided for information purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice and consultation, including professional medical advice and consultation; it is provided with the understanding that Uptown Style (“Uptown Style”) is not engaged in the provision or rendering of medical advice or services. You understand and agree that Uptown Style shall not be liable for any claim, loss, or damage arising out of the use of, or reliance upon any content or information in the article.