As the weeks of the new year continue, more of us may be discussing moving forward to the “next normal.” We are starting to hear about students going back to school, in person. Employers are discussing bringing workers back to company offices. The airlines are projecting an uptick in leisure time travel. Restaurants are making additional renovations to accommodate more traffic and more major movie theatre chains are reopening after closing their doors last spring. While this may be an exciting time for many people, it can also be a stressful time that can increase anxiety for others. For those of us experiencing increased anxiety around moving forward, it is important to minimize our mind’s chatter by realizing that you still have choices and options. We all move at our own pace and there is no one way to do transitions. In last week’s, The ZONE, we suggested that going too fast, the gulp response, may not be the ideal for all of us. This week we are suggesting that if you are not ready to begin re-engaging with the world, that you go at your own pace. If, however, you find that you are not able to move forward at all, and you think you want to, you may want to consider seeking the services of a licensed mental health professional to help you begin to take your next step. During this time of numerous transitions, the need to care for self is primary to ongoing functioning. Another way to view this time of transitions is that you can be stuck with your old ways of coping or you can begin creating and developing new strategies to create the future that you want.
Key Takeaways
As the next normal evolves, our possibilities will expand.
During times of transition, it is not unusual to experience higher levels of anxiety.
As always, now is the time for self-care.
Moving too fast or too slow may not be the best option.
Best Practices
Engage in healthy practices that balance you: quality sleep, adequate fluids, balanced nutrition, and natural movement.
Connect with trusted family members and friends.
Seek professional counseling when needed.
Things to Limit
Excessive social media and news coverage.
Junk food and alcohol.
Internal chatter.
Quote of the Week
“Do what you can, with what you got, where you are.”
~ Theodore Roosevelt
In summary, transitions can generate some of the best and some of the worst feelings in all of us. Realizing that we all have choices and options that can assist with our navigation through these challenging times is important to keep in mind. As our communities continue to create the next normal, it is key to our success to work together in supporting each other.
Be well,
Dr. Francis L. Battisti, PhD and Dr. Helen E. Battisti PhD
The paraDocs
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The paraDocs are Dr. Francis L. Battisti, PhD, Psychotherapist, Distinguished Psychology Professor and former Executive V.P and Chief Academic Officer and Dr. Helen E. Battisti PhD, RDN, CDN, Chief Nutrition Officer at SpNOD, Health Promotion Specialist, Research and Clinical Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and former Assistant Professor.
We have developed "The ZONE", because that is exactly where you want to be during this pandemic. A place of focused attention to doing exactly what needs to be done to get you to where you need to be. The purpose of The Zone is to provide a nationally distributed weekly mental-health and nutrition tip-sheet during times of change.
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