Corona seems to be the word on everyone's tongue, it's written on every news article, every meme, every mail shot. It's heard on every radio station, every TV and in every conversation. And as expected, the majority are in a state of panic. The word 'isolation' alone is a scary one. The thoughts of being stuck inside with no escape from the worries of bills going unpaid, businesses failing, children missing out on their education to the elderly going without interaction for weeks at a time. And worse still, the worry of loss. In a time like this our mental health is just as important as our handwashing.I have been putting together a guidance sheet on looking after your mental health, coping mechanisms, breathing exercises and simple physical exercises if you are in isolation. I am a new business owner, fresh faced ready to take the world by storm, but my adrenaline filled excitement of owning my own business has been rudely interrupted by this virus, and the potential of failure feels more real than survival at this moment. That being said, I am not in a negative state of mind, I am feeling patient. Waiting to see what happens next and who will be supported. There is one thing I have control over in this situation and that is my ability to remain calm and continue to be a coach for my members until told otherwise. As part of being a personal trainer, a manager, a business owner, a friend - I have chosen to share my personal coping mechanisms below:

STOP

I imagine half the nation will wake up with their minds racing this week. Stop. Get up, get dressed and pour yourself a cup of water (or better still, coffee). Take 5 minutes to sit. Even if this means putting a timer on your phone and watching the numbers change, take 5 minutes to clear your mind and attempt to find the things you are most grateful for in life, put your worries aside for just 5 minutes. Have you time. Make time to be calm in all the chaos.

GO OUTSIDE

The great outdoors. If you can, go for a walk, go to the beach, stand in your garden. Pay attention. Look around you and notice all of the things that are real and alive, animals, insects, plants, the sea. So many wild and wonderful things to focus on - the best distractions do not come from screens.

GET UP

Don't lie in bed feeling sorry for yourself - trust me it does not make things better. Keep your routine, get up, get dressed and eat your breakfast. Watch the sunrise! Remind yourself that nothing lasts forever and each day is a new one. A new chance for things to improve and a new opportunity to leave the hard times behind. Time stands still for no one.

STAY CONNECTED

Don't ignore your messages because you feel down. Call your family, your friends. Use skype, facetime, video chat. Technology has a lot to answer for (separate topic) but it can be utilised for good in this situation and no person should be forgotten.

TAKE TIME OUT

Sign out of Facebook, log out of Instagram and stop scrolling through the 'daily mail online'. Negative stories are more interesting than positive ones, remember that.

BREATHE

Take a deep breath. Inhale strong and exhale slow. Learn to calm yourself - your stress will not feed your fight.

MOVE

Get off the sofa and create your own endorphins. Stretch, squat, jump, lunge, press up, sit up, crunch, plank, jog on the spot - use an ornament to do some shoulder press if you have to - do not let yourself fall into a hole. Nothing lasts forever and this time is no different. Dance until the sun comes up - don't let your immunity fall asleep.

SLEEP

You have to sleep. You have to switch off and rest. Rest, rest, rest. How often do people long for a day off. This is it, use it to let your body rest and reset.

LISTEN

Listen to podcasts. Play music. Listen to those songs that nobody knows you like. Listen to songs that bring back happy memories and remind you of the summer time and the sunshine. Play that rap that makes you feel gangster and listen to sad music if you need to cry. Isolation is real, being alone is hard, don't be afraid to have emotions.

LOVE

Statistics already tell us that people will be lost to this virus, and that is very sad. Show love, help others and be present. You are no use to your sick loved ones if you are too busy flapping and looking at your phone. We can't change the times, we can only be sensible and support those who need it. Don't let the stress cause arguments and snappy responses - we are all stressed and we all need a little love (from a safe distance of course).

NOURISH

Don't skip meals, drink water and eat your veg. Continue to feed your body like you do when you're working, training or socializing. Use it as an excuse to cook, to create, to share. Follow a recipe, use something in your cupboard that has been taking up space for the last few months or make something you didn't have time for before.

READ

Books, blogs, articles... but focus on the positive ones. And read to learn - what better way to utilise our time than by learning something new, making ourselves better. Paint, draw, write.. Create. Make something from nothing, remind yourself that great things can be made from very little.

Lastly, look to the future. Imagine how wonderful it will be to finally sit with your loved ones and have a meal, go for a pint down the local or gossip over coffee with friends. Imagine the happiness you'll feel when you go on holiday again, go back to the gym, the cinema, that concert. Imagine how deep that appreciation will sit within us, let us hold onto that gratitude when we come out the other end, because we will come out the other end. Nothing lasts forever, be it good or bad. Things move on, life changes and humans are incredible beings who survive the most outrageous things and are built to adapt. Let's hope if we suffer loss, that our gain will be a lesson on the other end. How we treat each other over the coming weeks/months is what really matters.

I have concerns of course, I have stress, but I take great comfort knowing that I am not alone, and if my ship sinks it will sit at the bottom surrounded by hundreds, or thousands of fellow sunken ships. When there is a catastrophe in the world we deal with it by coming together to fight back - look at charity events, fundraisers, singing together on balconies - this is why we are so lost and confused being told to remove ourselves from that connection. So please take some comfort in the fact that you may be isolated, you may feel lonely, but you are not alone, we are all in this together.

This year I have created a space that I have planned and visualised for many years. All the hard work, the planning, the manual labour, the admin - it will all be worth it whatever happens because the support I have received since opening the doors on January 2nd is enough to last me a very long time.

Thank you for showing me how great this community can be, let's hope it lasts a lifetime.

Lowri
SOULFIT
‍