A Black Girl’s Guide: 5 Tips to Manage Stress During COVID-19

In times like these where stress is high, the future is unknown and we still have to deal with everyday problems, it’s important for us to keep positive mental health. I don’t know about you, but I definitely get anxious every now and then. I start to stress, panic or worry. When I talk to others I see they are experiencing the same emotions. This pandemic is really taking a toll on us mentally. There are several activities I do to control my negative emotions, so I can try to focus on the present moment and make the best of it. I am sharing with you, the top five things I do to maintain my mental health during this COVID pandemic.

1. Affirmation and Positive Self-Talk

First and foremost, my go to technique is positive self-talk and affirmation. It’s something you can do right there in that moment when you start to feel scared, overwhelmed or anxious. Nothing else needed but your mind and tongue, the two most powerful tools you possess. I am a firm believer that what you speak into existence will come to fruition especially when it’s followed by positive actions. Even outside of this pandemic, it is important to recognize the things that give you anxiety and create affirmations that counter them. Affirmations are statements of positivity and truth that you will into your life. The number one affirmation that I use for everything is “God got me.” So when I start thinking about the Rona and how it negatively affects my life, future and the world I automatically stop myself. Take a breath and say “It’s going to be okay, God got me.” That’s my affirmation that makes me feel better. Everyone’s affirmation will be different. You have to create an affirmation that calms you down and soothes your soul. Whatever you come up with you have to believe in it for it to work effectively.

2. Meditation

Staying in the realm of using your mind as a tool, I would have to highly recommend mindfulness meditation. Meditation is such a powerful technique that I wrote a whole piece on using meditation as a power tool (check out Meditation: The POWER tool: https://alynascorner.com/?p=657). I do not use it often but when I do it always puts my mind at ease. There are different types of meditation practices but for COVID purposes I am specifically recommending mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness meditation is mental training that teaches you how to slow down racing thoughts, let go of negativity as well as calm your mind, body and soul. It allows you to fully focus and appreciate the here and now. All you need is a comfortable spot, an open mind and a guided meditation instruction. If you are new to meditation I suggest you find a guided video on YouTube,  just type in “guided mindfulness meditation.” I particularly like listening to Deepak Chopra’s meditations. My only recommendation is do not lay down when you listen to him because you will fall asleep. His voice is soothing and the relaxation coupled with light music he plays is total grounds for falling asleep.

3. Physical Fitness

Stressful situations like this pandemic increase the level of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol in our body. Physical fitness helps to eliminate excessive stress hormones and release feel-good endorphins that enhance our sense of well-being. I am not a fitness guru but since I’ve been home I try to go out for a run or do an at home workout. Not only is it helpful for relieving stress but it also gives my daughter and me something physical to do outside of school work and television. You do not have to be an athlete, personal trainer or in shape to reap the stress relieving benefits from physical fitness. I just do my best when following the workout instructors. Most times I feel like I am not doing the moves right but hey at least I am doing something. The objective is to get your heart rate up so if you’re breathing hard then you are good. And don’t just stop at home workout videos, almost anything can be classified as physical fitness so mix it up. You can take a walk, jog, run, cycle, hike or even jump rope. If you are interested in learning more about fitness look out for my interview with my old time friend Tasha the Fitness Sensi. We will talk about her approach to fitness and tips for people like me who want to use fitness as a tool to get their mind and body right.

4. Cooking

I’m going to change direction real quick and recommend cooking. We all have been in the house eating and snacking up a storm. Even the kid’s appetites are going through the roof. My daughter is about to eat me out of house and home. It seems that boredom just equals eating; it is inevitable. For me cooking gives me something to do and helps me lose focus on stressful things. In the kitchen all I’m worried about is chopping up onions or getting the seasoning right. Not to mention at the end of it you have something delicious to eat while you Netflix and chill. This is another one of those stress relievers in which you can include your children. Zanai is my little sous chef and when we are in the kitchen it’s just us creating fun memorable moments. It’s kind of like practicing mindfulness outside of meditation. You don’t worry about the future. You focus on the here and now while making the best of your situation. I’ll say cooking is a good stress reliever because it is a distraction and the result of eating your cooking is good comfort. Now that’s only if you can cook or follow a recipe. Hopefully at the least most of you can follow a recipe.

5. Gardening

In addition to being a source of fresh healthy produce and beautiful scenery, gardening can also help you relieve stress and anxiety. Last year when I purchased my house I started to play in the garden once the weather got warm. I started out light by pulling up weeds, patching ditches and growing new grass. After a while I started building raised beds, buying perennial flowers and growing my own vegetables. I also joined a Black Girls with Gardens (BGWG) Facebook group (the ladies in the group are so bomb). Gardening brings me so much joy and peace. When I am out there I feel like I am one with the world; the fresh air, the sun and all of the plant life. I can go in my garden feeling upset and I come out feeling much better. It’s like all of the heavy stress sheds off with every pluck of a weed and every water of a plant. Gardening slows you down because it takes vision, patience, poise and time to grow beautiful things. Not only are you growing flowers and vegetables but you are also growing mentally and physically. On those recently scattered warm days, I go outside and start prepping my garden for the summer. Even outside this pandemic, I recommend gardening to everyone. If you do not have garden space you can always grow plants on a balcony, in a local community garden or even inside your home. I recently joined a Facebook group called We Love Houseplants by Black Girls with Gardens (this group is bomb too). Both groups provide a great community to share your experiences and get gardening and house plant tips/ ideas.

During stressful times you have to stay sane. There are so many simple activities you can do to help you relieve stress, panic, worry and anxiety. I hope sharing my top five activities give you ideas on ways you can regulate your mental health. If you find that nothing helps you please seek therapy or counseling. Professional counselors or therapists can help you identify stress triggers and teach you coping methods that are tailored specifically for you. You can use the resources below related to my five stress relieving activities as well as information on free counseling/therapy.

Resources:

AFFIRMATION

I shall be

iShallBe strives to create a platform for everyone to speak nothing but positive things for life’s journey into existence. As a daily affirmation app, iShallBe provides quotes, inspirational videos, and motivational messages. iShallBe was created with the strong desire to encourage others, in the areas of  to get through all trials and tribulations, and remind you that there will be victory in the end of all troubles. 

https://www.ishallbe.co/

Selfpause

Selfpause is a website that shares popular affirmations that can relate to any category such as relationships, stress, weight loss, professional, financial and much more. They will soon release an app where affirmations will you can listen to thousands of affirmations and record your very own.  

https://selfpause.com/

MEDITATION

Deepak Chopra

Guided Morning Meditation with Deepak Chopra Meditation can remove stress and replace it with a dose of inner peace. But it can be tough to meditate without a teacher or guide. Guided meditations literally walk you through a meditation and help you find a calm and peaceful state—one step at a time. Try one of these unique guided meditations, ranging from five minutes to one hour each.

Guided Morning Meditation with Deepak Chopra

Headspace

Headspace has one mission: to improve the health and happiness of the world. And with millions of users in more than 190 countries, we’re well on our way. Everyday Mindfulness and Meditation for Stress, Anxiety, Sleep, Focus, Fitness, and More. Find Out What Getting Some Headspace Can Do for You.

https://www.headspace.com/covid-19

PHYSICAL FITNESS

Haitian Pate Fitness         

Here to provide some fitness advice and motivation.

https://linktr.ee/haitianpate

Sugar Pop Fitness

POPSUGAR Fitness! Here, you’ll find an inclusive space for people to live healthier, happier lives. We offer expert-backed workouts and fitness tips, healthy recipes and product reviews, tangible advice on mental and emotional health, and stories about athletes who inspire us. Because everyone should prioritize themselves in all aspects of their health and wellness.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBINFWq52ShSgUFEoynfSwg

GARDENING

Black Girls with Gardens

Black Girls with Gardens (BGWG) is a collective dedicated to providing answers, tips, and inspiration to women of color interested in gardening. We value how much representation matters and aspire to create a space for like minded women to support each other and connect with their ancestral environmental background. For the newbie plant mom of 1, the woman with the potted plant army, or the aspiring farmer, BGWG have you covered. Whether gardening is a form of self care, coping, hobby, or a career for you- we promise to make gardening easy for you.

http://www.blackgirlswithgardens.com/

COOKING

Cashay Chanel

A native New Yorker hailing from The Bronx, NY, Cashay has mastered her way around the kitchen with lessons learned from her grandmother along with years of study and good ole hands on trial and error. Cashay has managed to become an expert and frequent go-to person in the culinary field.

http://www.cashaychanel.com/

THERAPY

Therapy for Black Girls

So often the stigma surrounding mental health issues and therapy prevents Black women from taking the step of seeing a therapist. This space was developed to present mental health topics in a way that feels more accessible and relevant.

https://providers.therapyforblackgirls.com/

COVID-19 Emotional Support Hotline

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced a new helpline for people who are experiencing anxiety, stress and depression during the coronavirus emergency

1-844-863-9314

8 AM – 10 PM, 7 days a week