How to remain grounded in a changing world!
Happy New Year!
The first two week into the new year, and we are all collectively realizing the world did not slow down at all, not even a little bit.
Even more unimaginable, it has somehow become more overwhelming? I don’t know how, but that’s okay, because today’s article will focus on how to remain grounded in this ever changing world.
It’s become common place now for everyone to mourn what 2020–21 could have been if we didn’t a whole pandemic at our doorstep. It seems more and more all of us have been impacted both positively and negative by all the changes brought on by the pandemic. To be quiet frank, our new Covid world has been kicking our collective ass, emotionally, financial, physically, mentally — you name, it we are going through it.
That’s why it is important to find ways to remain grounded throughout of all of this. I’ll share with you what I’ve been using in 2021 so far to keep myself grounded amidst our changing world.
- Mindfulness
I practice mindfulness daily now and it has been amazing so far, it’s become part of my routine. I use The Daily Shine app, where they provide 10–15 minutes worth of a daily mindfulness podcast episode to help you reconnect with yourself and the world around you. It’s been a great stress reliever for me, especially working from home. Now that my work is at home, its become harder to maintain mental boundaries on when to stop thinking about work. For me starting my day with this podcast helps with re-centering my intentions and goals for myself and work. Try it out!
2. Learn New Skill
Wait, wait hear me out first! I know how hard this pandemic has been, especially with everything; economic downturn, George Floyd, and the over arching morbid feeling hovering over everyone due to COVID. Trust me when I say its nice to place your attention on things that can add to your life and not necessarily drain you. For me, I took French classes for two months in 2020, and will probably continue to take them in 2021. The ability to learn something new and apply it is a great opportunity to get your dopamine going! It doesn’t have to be anything complex, it could be painting, writing, planting — just find something that works for you.
3. Create a Routine
I honestly didn’t live by a routine for the first half of 2020 because of how chaotic everything had become. However, slowly as I entered fall 2020, and now in January 2021, having set routines have made a world of a difference. It’s also been fun to put together a relaxing routine that reflects how I would like my day to go. I start my morning with my skincare routine, I listen to the Daily Shine app, while I get ready for the day. Then in the evening I’m focused on winding down, completing my night time skincare routine, turning off bright overhead lights and switching on relaxing lamps, having a relaxing shower and getting in bed. Put your selfcare first in 2021!
4. Put yourself out there
This might seem random but, putting yourself out there to new opportunities is a great way to stay grounded. After you move on from the dread of being home all day , you have to find things to occupy your time. For me, I’ve been really curious about the tech ecosystem, and learning more technical skills. That led me to finding the virtual ‘Tech Giving Summit’. It was a tech summit focused on sharing with BIPOC folks on the various career opportunities in the tech industries. This was such an interesting experience, and through that I made 5–10 new contacts that I can now connect with on tech related projects. Find something and go for it, google is your friend.
5. Reconnect
This goes without saying, but just a reminder, reconnecting with your community is so critical to keeping grounded especially now. Your community can be your friends from university, your coworkers, and/or your family. Whatever that community looks like, ensure you’re recharging your energy with them. It’s important to remember, we are not islands but rather streams and lakes that need one another to thrive.
You got this!
Cheers
Faith
