The studios are silent once more. The chatters and giggles, the two-meter air hugs, the smiles in the eyes above the masks, the happy high energy generated by dancing together in one space, are gone … for now.
We had so many plans and were so looking forward to getting the new year started with the zeal that was so palpable leading up to the holidays. The kids were excited about our new production, the new year, and dancing gleefully with friends again.
Instead, we have had to make adjustments – once more – to our schedules, daily routines, and ways of getting things done. It has been widely reported that this seemingly unending pandemic has led to anxiety, frustration, and sense of isolation everywhere, among children and exhausted parents.
So, we enter this New Year of 2022 with an opportunity to overcome a new set of challenges. We are starting a blog page on our website as an additional way to support our growing Poise Family. For this first blog we looked up how families succeed in coping with these existing challenges, here locally, and around the globe. These are the best practices and advice that top everyone’s list:
First, remember that it’s okay to feel blue; just don’t dwell on it.
Acknowledging that we are not okay, rather than denying it, opens the door for our ability to deal with challenges that come with appropriate action.
Top 3 of the most effective coping strategies in time of Covid-19
- Keep your regular routine; participate in regular physical activity.
While everything seems so confusing and uncertain, it is important to have an anchor that we can control. Setting a regular routine is one. Particularly helpful as a part of this routine is to incorporate physical activity, especially something that we enjoy, or something that would challenge us.
- Maintain connections; support members in your family and friendship circle.
The sense of belonging to a community and being able to lean on each other among those we love and care about, is vital to our well-being. Find creative alternatives to connect virtually when physical interaction is limited. Check in on them and invent ways to show you care about and love them. By being helpful and supportive of others we also support ourselves.
- Set goals and priorities; start with marking small yardsticks for progress.
Time still goes by regardless of the circumstances of how we live through it. We need to continue to set goals, even if some might need modification. When something is taken away from us, opportunities tend to open up for us to learn something new, such as a new skill, a new dance move, or … do something differently to keep ourselves energized. Start by setting new modest goals; and always remember to celebrate even the tiniest progress.
Let us continue to be loving, beginning with taking good care of ourselves. Then spread that good feeling around.
Next blog: What Is Your Star Word? An Alternative to a New Year’s Resolution