How To Stay Positive During The Lockdown. Advice from our cognitive therapist in Spain

As we are in our 5th week of lockdown due to the pandemic of the Coronavirus, I have received many emails and calls from people who are extremely distressed and worried.

How will I cope?
What am I going to do?
What is the actual truth about the virus?
How will it affect my life?
My mind is too busy, how can I stop it?

These are some of the questions I receive on a daily basis and all of these questions boil down to 1 habit……
THE FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN, OR SIMPLY JUST FEAR!

The truth is, we don’t know all of the answers! In fact, we may never know all the answers but ask yourself, do you NEED to know EVERYTHING in order for you to be and feel happy?

There are two ways you can look at the present moment and how you wish to remember it:
1. With fear
2. With gratitude

If you look at every situation with fear, it will create more worry, stress, anxiety and may even lead you to deep depression. Is that how you want to remember this time? Does leading with fear serve you? When leading with fear, do you feel excited when you wake in the morning or does it fill you with dread? Do you go to sleep feeling relaxed and carefree? Most importantly, do you want to spend the rest of your life thinking and feeling this way?

If the answer is no, look at option 2.
With gratitude, you look to all of the things that you are grateful for. Have you ever sat there and told yourself or others that you never have time to video call friends, never have time to play with your children? Do you ever moan about rushing here, there and everywhere wishing you had more time to do the things that you enjoy?  Have you ever felt like a hamster in a wheel, running around and around but never actually getting anywhere?

Well, now you can use this time to change all of that!
Look deep within yourself. Is there a book you’ve always wanted to read? A skill you’ve wanted to learn? Have you always wanted to have more time with your husband, wife, mother or father? Have you ever wished that you could just sit in your garden or by the window and just breath?

Use thus, time to do ALL of the things you’ve dreamed of doing, start that course, read that book, cuddle with your partner and watch a movie because when all this is over and normality resumes, you will soon wish you had spent the time wisely.

Remember to be grateful for what you DO have rather than worry about what you don’t.