Happenings 16 April 2020

Naomi Cowan is a fellow Baptist (yay!) who runs a mental health ministry based out of Windsor Park Baptist Church. She has shared the following thoughts, which I think make good sense for us all to engage with.

Well here we are with Easter out of the way and we head into Week 3 of lockdown. I don’t know about you but I am feeling a bit tired, a bit zoomed out. I have seen a bit of complacency starting to creep in with people I know being very ‘flexible’ around lockdown rules which I try not to let worry me but it does because of where it could lead – a longer lockdown timeframe and unnecessary exposure for vulnerable people to Covid-19. Things like this and the uncertainty that this pandemic brings to every area of our life can start to wear us down somewhat in regards to our mental wellbeing. 

If we are tired with uncertainty, rules and some worry [those around us] are too. Leaning into God more in our own personal time with Him as well as deliberately being connected with others will help keep perspective. However we cannot give what we do not have so we need to reach out to others, not only to bless them but to also receive ourselves. Remember this is a marathon not a sprint and you need to pace yourself. You need to plan connection time with others who do not drain you. 

Now is the time to be authentic, not stoic. … Just by telling ourselves it is normal to be experiencing some mental wellbeing issues during a pandemic is quite a loving thing to do for yourself. … There is something quite reassuring and inspiring about knowing you are not the only one having some worry thoughts, sleep problems or behaviours around excessively checking for symptoms. 

Plan for some fun. Because we are all suffering a bit from Lockdown fatigue – plan to have some fun. Give your head a little holiday. Do whatever is legal and fun for you. Maybe it’s just a few word games on your phone that you can take a break and play at regular intervals. Maybe it is playing cricket in the hallway with your dog or maybe it is a daily dose of something on Netflix. 

There are some new online tools to support which offer a range of supports for yourself or others around mental wellbeing particularly in relation to the pandemic. These tools help bridge the physical distance gap. Find out more about the Mentemia app, Melon app and Staying on Track e-therapy course [https://www.justathought.co.nz/covid19]. And of course, there is always the free mental health helpline 1737. The longer something goes on that we cannot control the more we can struggle with frustration.

Some good advice there, I think!

In Him,
Murray