Friends of the Pacific Electric Trail: Managing Stress Through Uncertainty

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It feels completely unnatural to be isolated from our friends and families but by honoring social distancing, each of us can make a significant difference in reducing the spread of this pandemic. We are all accountable to ourselves and each other and this is the time to do our part for our communities.

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Each of us react to stress differently and though it might feel familiar, this type of stress is uniquely personal and challenging to navigate. What we all have in common, unfortunately, is this Covid-19 global pandemic. No one is immune to the effects of stress that we’re experiencing as we “Shelter in Place” (SIP).

Even in a crisis, you can still limit your stress levels by keeping your immune system healthy to help reduce your likelihood of getting sick. Prolonged stress can result in a weakened immune system over time.

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Be kind to yourself and listen to your inner voice urging you to slow down.
Incorporate relaxation habits like meditation, yoga, deep breathing exercises, and visualization techniques.
Exercise daily to help strengthen your immune system, as individuals who exercised regularly are less likely to come down with colds than their more sedentary counterparts.
Eat a balanced diet and get 6-7 hours of sleep
Play music that you can sing and dance to

“Long-term Temporary”

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We’re not used to spending extended time at home but for today, this is the drill. Many of us are trying to stay connected by calling our circle of friends and family regularly to have “actual conversations” that provide immediate comfort.
Just the sound of our loved one’s voices laughing as we catch up with each other on the phone is positive, reassuring and healing. Others will text, post, etc. to feel like they’re not alone.
For the first time, we’re adjusting to have to celebrate birthdays, graduations, and holidays apart from each other. For too many the trauma of not having a service for those who lost their battle with COVID-19 is unthinkable leaving us to feel incomplete-

It’s like being suspended in time or “on hold” and we’re left to grieve privately at home, when all we want to do is hug our loved ones and comfort each other and heal our broken hearts.

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Hopefully we’re balancing “screen-time” with other creative activities that provide outlets for relieving stress such as: gardening, painting, crafts, music, baking, photography, woodworking or perhaps "journaling". Many of us are “blessed with work” and are catching up on all the home projects that we put off for another day, well that day is today. For those of us who find comfort in writing, this might be the perfect time to start a daily journal. Consider it as a positive gift for yourself to record your personal journey of coping with this quarantine that has forced us to re-adjust just about everything we find familiar. When this pandemic is finally over, sometime in the future, there will be thousands of us who will share our stories that defined the personal journey we took together and find out just how much we all truly have in common. Our need to stay connected and feel that together we prevailed and will help us heal.