We don’t always like to talk about it, but there are circumstances in life that harm our emotional health. Coronaviruses, illnesses, marriage struggles, money problems, natural disasters, family problems– the list goes on and on.
I get it. I really do. I have had a premature baby in the NICU for months, a baby in utero with a kidney problem, and thyroid cancer while pregnant. (Yeah, health problems like to kick me in the gut.)
But in my experience, the worst thing you can do is give in to a poor emotional state, and just lie back and let all the negative emotions wash over you. Over, and over, and over again.
I think your emotional health is just as important as your physical health, and it’s just as important to protect it.
You may not always be able to change difficult circumstances. But you can take steps to protect your emotional health until those circumstances pass.
7 Ways to Protect Your Emotional Health in a Crisis
1. Choose your friends wisely.
If you are a parent, I’m sure you’ve told your child how important it is to surround themselves with the right friends. That is true for adults, and it’s especially true in a time of crisis.
For a short period of time, distance yourself from people who say negative things, who sit around and discuss the worst-case scenario, who only want to talk about the bad situation.
Just like the crabs in the bucket story, they will drag you down with them.
2. Choose what goes into your ears.
Hear no evil, right?
When dealing with a crisis, we must be very careful what we allow into our ears.
Listening to pop music or news radio can be harmless, but it doesn’t do anything to improve your life or your outlook. But, listening to Christian radio or music, sermons, or personal development podcasts speak life into your mind, even if you aren’t consciously aware of it.
3. Choose what goes into your eyes.
See no evil.
What are you reading during a crisis?
Are you scrolling social media and bathing your mind in other people’s opinions?
Are you glued to the TV or internet news sites to see what the “experts” are saying?
Are you asking Google what you should do in your situation? (For Pete’s sake, stop doing this. Unless you are looking for a recipe to make for dinner, Google will either depress you or scare you to death.)
Instead, look for positive words. Read books on positivity, faith, or simply something lighthearted and fun. Post uplifting quotes or verses around your home and in your car. Watch TV or a movie that makes you laugh or warms your heart.
4. Choose what comes out of your mouth.
Speak no evil.
Do you know how powerful your words are? Poet Gemma Troy said, “Remember your words can plant gardens or burn whole forests down.”
Use your words to make your situation better, not worse.
If you are in debt, tell yourself, “Every dollar I pay off is one step closer to being debt free. I can make good financial choices. I am a disciplined person.”
If you are facing an illness, tell yourself, “My body is strong. My heart is beating, my lungs are breathing for me, and I can face whatever comes at me. God is my strength, and I will never give up.”
Sometimes you have to fake it til you make it; faking positivity can only help you.
If you have never tried speaking affirmations over your life daily, this is the time to do it. I recommend taking Bible verses that you like and turning them into truth statements to speak aloud to yourself at the beginning of your day.
5. Choose to spend your time wisely.
It can be tempting, and even make you feel good in the short term, to spend your time watching tv, eating junk food, drinking too much alcohol, and generally overindulging in anything that brings you comfort.
But this will only make you feel worse.
Instead, get out in nature, spend time with life-giving friends, or do a hobby that makes you feel great.
6. Choose how you think.
Your mind can be your most powerful ally or your most powerful opponent.
In a Youversion Bible study I read on anxiety, it said: “Picture your thoughts as airplanes in the sky above a busy airport. You get to decide which thoughts land and which ones fly away. Want to be happy tomorrow? Let the thoughts of happiness land today. Want to be miserable tomorrow? Let thoughts of guilt, worry, and fear land today.”
You may not be able to control your circumstances, but you can always control how you think.
Reframe negative situations to find something positive. Focus on those positives every time the negatives pop into your mind.
7. Choose to do something.
The problem with crises is that we often feel helpless and powerless. Doing something, even small, to make you feel powerful again can change your whole perspective.
So, are there steps you can take to improve your situation, even if they are small?
Can you do something nice for someone else who is facing worse circumstances than you?
Can you start a new exercise program or learn a new hobby that will make you feel proud of yourself?
Can you take a break from a bad situation, just for a couple of hours, to relax and have fun?
Crises can rock our worlds, but I think we often underestimate how strong we are.
No matter what you are facing today, you are strong.
You are a survivor.
You can persevere through hard things.
And to help you persevere, I wanted to give you this FREE resource: Printable Bible verses About Peace that you can print out and post in places where you will see them often. No strings attached, no sign up required.
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