Running a Mental and Emotional Marathon

Whether we like it or not we’re running a mental and emotional marathon.

Most marathons are elective. We opt-in and train accordingly.

The covid-19 marathon, however, is not elective. It’s been forced upon us—which means we are experiencing 26-mile mental and emotional runs daily, without preparation.

Do not expect yourself to have the same inner capacity you had a month ago. Do not expect yourself to accomplish at the same level you once were today.

Times are different now. This means our training plan must look different too.

You may find that you need more downtime to recover and refuel. You may need to take two walks in a day instead of one. You may need to nap, to cry, to write, to think, to color, to dance, go to bed early, to watch Netflix, to FaceTime your loved ones.

This is ok. Allow it.

Disruption of our regular schedule is the name of the game, and in order to hold all that’s occurring, we must first hold for ourselves.

This means devoting time daily to your inner training. What that looks like for me:

—morning meditation (via Ziva Meditation)
—three rounds of breathwork (2-minute hold per round)
—dry skin brushing
—limiting my media/news consumption (Morning: theSkimm. Early Evening: FB articles from reputable sources. That’s all.)
—limiting my alcohol and sugar consumption
—taking time to think, read, write and honor my emotions (30 minutes I block off to check-in with myself inwardly. I might pray, write in my journal, cry, “scream” onto the page, receive inspiration, etc. My feelings need more of my attention right now, so I am allowing for that.)

This is how I’m refilling my cup—in addition to serving my clients and community. Serving is a wonderful way to lift ourselves up…and, best done from our overflow.

What are you doing daily to take care of your inner environment? What is your training regimen for this marathon?

Please share in the comments. It will be helpful for others.

Lastly, if you aren’t doing something daily to take care of you, it is time to start. This marathon isn’t ending anytime soon. Building a practice now will be an asset in the coming weeks.

With Fierce Loving,
Amber

Photo by Yuris Alhumaydy