Doing What Matters During Stressful Times

Taking care of yourself, your friends, and your family can help you cope with stress. Helping others cope with their stress can also make our community stronger.

Be Kind To Yourself

• Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting.

• Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate. Exercise regularly.

• Make time to unwind. Play your favorite music or movie.

• Feel your emotions. If the trip you have been saving for is canceled, it’s okay to be disappointed. If social distancing gets you down, it’s okay to be lonely. Feel the sadness. Cry and yell for a minute. Then intentionally find joy and be grateful for all that you have. Have faith that we will get through this. And then pass it on, because faith and joy are just as contagious as fear and panic.

• A cheerful heart is a good medicine.

Be Kind To Others

• Patience is a skill. Impatience only hurts you, not the person with whom you are impatient. If you find yourself tense up, focus on where you are tense and take a deep breath and as you exhale concentrate on relaxing that spot.

• Practice grace and understanding if people are short on time, resources, or answers.

• Remember, we are all trying our best during a difficult time.