Life in lockdown can be tough, especially as the end of the year approaches. Here are three tools to help you manage life well:
Mindfulness: Develop a gratitude practice. I love the idea of a gratitude rampage. In a journal, for two or five minutes, write down everything you can think of that you're grateful for without stopping. Everything and anything that comes to mind. Doing this regularly in a journal means you can go back to it later, and it also means you're carving new grooves in your mind's gears for what you focus on -- and there's a lot to be grateful for if you look for it.
Movement: Make sure you find time to move. Even walking has huge benefits, including enhancing your cognitive state and finding joy and connection with others, as best-selling author Kelly McGonigal explores in the Joy of Movement. Also, Seattle-based performance coach Paul Clingan's new podcast series gives competitors in sports and in life a way to learn about mindfulness tools to improve mental health and mental performance.
Communicating During the Holidays: Mastering hard conversations with family is especially important for the holidays. Last year I published an article with four key tips on managing difficult dinner conversations over the holidays. Finding ways to be clear about your ideal outcomes in advance, and managing what's going on in your own head in advance of these gatherings is really important. The mindfulness and movement tips above will help.