Let's bring the calm in uncertain times.
With more cases of community transition in Melbourne, I know many of our beautiful parents to be may be feeling an extra layer of anxiousness. This is an excerpt from our free peace be with you course that you can find here, and we wrote it deep in lockdown and although so some details have changed, the premises remain the same.
I hope this helps you feel calm during times of uncertainty about transmission, vaccines and lockdown. Our mission, apart from manufacturing the very best way to pack your hospital bag is to take the overwhelm away from parents and parents to be.
The techniques in this email work, they work fast and they get better with practice.
These techniques I show here on you tube, so if that is an easier way to get this info visit me there, it may be easier to see a visual.
These three things work fast.
If you need some urgent emergency action, this is a simple technique for resetting right now.
When things seem overwhelming, when fear gets the better of you, when worry creeps in - this works in a heartbeat.
ONE
PEACE STARTS WITH ME MANTRA
This is how it is done
Tap your pointer finger to your thumb and say PEACE.
Tap your middle finger to your thumb and say STARTS.
Tap your ring finger to your thumb and say WITH
Tap your little finger (pinkie) to your thumb and say ME
PEACE STARTS WITH ME.
You are grounding yourself in touch and feeling something real - your own body.
It does double duty as a mantra and as a reminder.
The words themselves are triggering - in a good way.
Another reason it is effective, is that it brings you back - from where ever your head is, it brings you back to home base, fast.
TWO
TAKE A BREATH BREAK
Breathe in slowly & deeply while counting to six. Hold your breath and count to two. Slowly exhale, counting to eight. Repeat this sequence for at three repetitions and for up to three minutes.
THREE
Think the NEXT BEST THOUGHT . I got this one from Gabby Bernstein. I practice a lot of her positive techniques around spirituality and connection. I totally understand if it sounds a bit woo woo, but it works for me.
When you've got a lot of anxiety and a load of big thoughts running around you head, and someone says "just think good thoughts" . It is often hard to go from zero to hero.
Let's use the following thought as an example of something that upsets you "What if my Obstetrician gets the virus and I can't see her". It may not help you to just say "She will never get the virus" because you can't control her or her risk.
Instead, pick the next best thought you can believe and feels true to you. This might look like this;
Your upsetting thought is "What if my Obs gets the virus and I can't see her".
The next best thoughts could be
"At the moment she is well and I've got an appointment booked"
"We've both got access to technology and we can meet online if that happens"
"She's got a great staff and I know no matter what I am in good hands"
"I trust she's got a contingency plan in place for her patients like me"
See how this works?
You're not having to reach far for something that feels a bit better than the worst case scenario, but equally, you're not grabbing at straws or thoughts you don't feel.
By focussing on the next best thing you're choosing to move your thoughts up the scale toward feeling better.
So sending so much love -xo