Sheltering in place and the reality of the coronavirus have upended conventional notions of self-care. They’re challenging many of us with a health-related Catch-22. Experts recommend staying inside to minimize exposure to this virus, but weeks of staying inside without exercise, fresh air, or sunlight can physically and emotionally weaken us. A change of scenery, fresh air, or just moving a little can feel necessary and life-giving. So although it could potentially bring us into contact with door handles, elevator buttons, and other people, many of us have been opting for short walks or runs outside, hoping our hand sanitizer, properly used masks, and hyper-vigilance can adequately mitigate the risks. In grocery stores, where the narrow aisles limit mobility, it’s likely that your hyper-vigilance will intensify. It takes a lot of effort to be constantly on the lookout for every person moving behind you, or turning into an aisle in front of you, or circling around you. What do you do or say if someone gets too close? Brushes against you? If they’re laughing, coughing, or talking loudly to someone they’re with or in some other way exhibiting a flagrant disregard for coronavirus safety protocols? All that anxiety, deliberation, and alertness is exhausting and can even be counterproductive to the whole reason you decided to go outside in the first place. The goal is to honor what’s happening internally for you in tough moments in the interests of calming your nervous system. I call this process the “Holding Hands” visualization. Once you practice it a few times and tweak it to fit your style, you can do it surprisingly quickly. The moment you notice you’re triggered—and once you’ve removed yourself from any possible physical danger in your environment—take a breath. Then, try this: Try this Holding Hands visualization when you’re out and you sense you’ve been triggered. It can interrupt negative thought spirals, reduce emotional reactivity, and reorient you toward peace.
