Physical Coping Strategies
Movement/Exercise
Even just 15 minutes a day can help to shift your perspective.
Breath Awareness/Deep Breathing
Square (4-4-4-4) breathing can be very grounding.
How to: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold you breath for 4, exhale for 4, and hold again for 4.
How do you feel? Lighter?
Clean Eating
High vibration, fresh, whole foods can help to fuel a health body and a healthy mind. Processed foods can do the opposite. Keep this in mind!
Mental Coping Strategies
Mindfulness/Meditation
Work toward being fully present every moment of your day. When you take a bite of food, when you step outside, wherever you are, take a breath and take it in.
Reframing/Shifting
This is about shifting your perspective. Become more aware of your negative thoughts, exploring whether they are based in fact or assumption, and mindfully shifting the negative to be more balanced, positive thoughts.
Positive Affirmations
Positive affirmations, or mantras, can help to drown out negative, self-sabotaging thoughts. You deserve the world; remind yourself what you deserve and what you want in your life everyday.
Social Coping Strategies
Support Systems
Do you have a reliable social support system? The company you keep, the people around you, should help to fuel you and your aspirations, inspire you, and support you in your highs and lows.
*Most importantly: DON'T isolate yourself, especially during hard times.
Boundaries
Boundaries are essential to protect the most important person, you.
Overwhelmed? Too much on your plate? Learn to say no, in a respectful yet firm manner!
Empathy & Gratitude
Both empathy and gratitude can remind you of how valued, special, worthy and important you are.
Being grateful for what you have can reaffirm that you are enough and you have enough to be happy. Being a good friend, being empathetic and there for others can increase your social support system (see above) and help to feed your life.