A new school year has begun, and its genesis has been composed of hallways filled with masked faces and anxious eyes; grey skies of a persistent thick smoky haze; and a sinking feeling in the gut that most of us have come to grow very familiar with over the past months. For the parents, inevitably you are feeling a peculiar cocktail of emotions whirling inside of you, and for you students, I know you are feeling much the same. Therefore, this post is for you, the students; especially you teenagers whom are experiencing the strange (and for some even frightening) state of our world amidst now entering into another school year.
Being a school counsellor for a number of years now, I have never witnessed such anxiety at the outset of a new year of school. Usually in the early fall months hallways are filled with excitement, laughter, and not to mention, hugs. This year hallways are not even filled, with half the students continuing with online learning, and there is minimal excitement and laughter, and definitely no hugs. I miss every small bit that was so characteristic of previous school years, and I cannot imagine how much all you students miss this as well. Therefore, when chaos ensues, fires blaze on, and COVID persists, I wanted to share a few of my favourite ways to take care of me in such times, which also help me feel more at ease and even more joyful (which might seem like a contradictory emotion to feel in such times). The following is a list of things I challenge you to try, maybe even this week, and take note of how you feel before, during, and after each activity:
- Be creative! In what ways can you tap into your creative side? We all have at least a sliver of creativity within us, even the mathematicians, and the act of creating can be phenomenally healing and relaxing. Write a poem, paint, sketch, cook, bake, invent, build… There is no limit to creativity. Go for it!
- Dance and/or sing! Moving your body and letting loose to your favorite song is always a good idea. Something you may not know however, is that singing has surprising psychological benefits as it stimulates the vagus nerve – a long and complex nerve that runs from the base of the brain to the abdomen. “Strengthening” your vagus nerve will help your brain and body come to a state of relaxation more quickly following stress. If you needed an excuse to sing more frequently, this is it.
- Practice deep breathing. You most likely have heard of this before, and you may currently even do deep breathing exercises. Deep breathing acts upon the vagus nerve in a way of saying “hey, there is nothing to fear here,” and therefore your whole system – mind and body – relaxes. Focus on diaphragmatic breathing (making your belly rise and fall instead of your shoulders), and breathe in through your nose, hold for a few seconds, and breathe out nice and slowly through your mouth. Sometimes, I even imagine drawing a square in my mind, where I breathe in for drawing the first vertical line going up, hold drawing the top horizontal line of the square, breath out going down the second vertical line, and hold for the bottom horizontal line. It can be helpful using a visual.
- The final challenge I have for you is to, yes, journal. There is a lot going on in the world and in your life, and sometimes we can let this out in ways that might be not-very-helpful, so to speak. We may not be in control of what is occurring around us, however, we are in control of how we respond to it. In writing, focus on what is going on for you emotionally, try find the why behind each emotion and also see what each emotion needs. Maybe you are sad and lonely, and you need comfort. Cuddle your dog, phone a friend. Maybe you are angry and you need to release your anger out in some way. Write it down on paper then tear it into shreds. I also encourage finishing each entry with a list (no matter how small, but preferably at least three items long) of things in your day that you are grateful for, things that were good, possibly even joyous. Notice how you feel, both emotionally and physically, after writing your thoughts down.
Good luck in these self-care and wellness challenges, and know that you are not alone in your struggle. We are here beside you.
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