“This year has been flipped upside down. Every activity – from grocery shopping to family vacations – has been impacted by the intensity and anxiety brought on by COVID-19.”
Edi Osborne, creator of BELove App
These days it seems, most things are out of our control. That is why taking the reins of what we can is more important than ever and it can be something as simple as breathing.
When Edi Osborne created BELove, an app that leads you through one minute of intentional breathing every hour, she had no idea how much it would be needed and embraced.
Through the power of “collective breath,” she is encouraging the world to stop and reset their nervous systems in order to take control and foster calm during these unsettling times.
Below she shares with us her top tips for warding off stress in uncertainty.
Tips for De-Stressing In A Pandemic
- Take Care of Your Body
The body is your vessel for carrying you through difficult times, but it can also manifest stress physically through sore muscles and elevated blood pressure. It is important to practice eating healthy and getting some form of exercise – even if it is just a walk around the block. However, intentional, active breath work can help center your body and mind in as little as one minute. Stressed-out people tend to take quick, shallow breaths which further exacerbates the flight-or-fight response.
- Find Joy In The Everyday
This year has been a reminder that we need to look at that morning cup of coffee or fresh flowers from the farmer’s market a bit differently. These are no longer “normal, everyday” items but little luxuries that can spark joy in your day. Taking a moment to breathe with your family can also provide a time in the day where you’ve allowed yourself to slow down, throw out the “to do” list and focus on gratitude for what you have right in front of you.
- Be Kind To Yourself
In the beginning weeks of sheltering-in-place and nationwide quarantine orders, people were inundating social media with their “grand plans” of how they were going to maximize their time to learn a new skill, write a book, learn a new language, etc. There is absolutely nothing wrong with pushing yourself to learn a new skill or try something different. But, if you found yourself in the position of just trying to hold it together day-to-day, that’s okay too. You may have even been someone who experienced brief moments of both of those scenarios. That’s also okay. Be kind to yourself and know that however you spent this time, it was the right way to spend it.
- Stay Connected Within Your Boundaries
There was definitely some digital connection fatigue after the first three months of this pandemic. We’re fortunate to live in a time where technology can keep us closer than ever while still being physically distanced and it is important to stay connected to your circle of friends and family. However, as witnessed in the first several weeks, there can be too much connection which can actually lead you to overstimulation. It is important that those that you are staying connected to are being positive forces in your life. With the election just around the corner and the high-level of uncertainty with what awaits us on the other side of COVID-19, it could be easy to slip into conversations that don’t serve you. Know your boundaries and give yourself permission to pass on the next Zoom happy hour if you’re just not feeling it.
Edi Osborne
Creator of BELove App and founder of the non-profit, Of One Breath
Edi Osborne has 25 years of experience in creating shift enabling tools. Her focus is on bringing the power of collective breath to the wellness space.
