“Grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.“
Reinhold Niebuhr
The Serenity Prayer has been pretty helpful for me in building resilience and getting through difficult times. And it’s one of the things that has been keeping my spirits up now, when I am trying to figure out how to navigate through this social distancing challenge.
In the midst of our commonly shared uncertainty and worry about what’s next and when does all this end, I try to redirect my train of thought and focus of what is actually under my control, rather than what isn’t.
For instance, I can decide how often to check the news (if at all) and who do I follow on social media (and whether it’s helpful to filter my feed, if I feel that some content is pushing my buttons). I can also decide to a certain degree how do I want to spend my day and what to devote my time to – which sometime means giving myself a full permission to take a break from trying to accomplish work, being a full-time home chef and a part time homeschool teacher-entertainer.
I know, that for many of us the threat of potential pandemic-related food insecurity can bring a lot onto the surface and mess up our relationship with food (and our bodies), even if we broke free from the diet culture trap long time ago. You may find yourself dealing with some eating behaviours, thoughts or emotions you haven’t experienced for weeks, months or even years.
Having some support in place, such as talking to a therapist/coach or a good friend, can be helpful to feel less isolated and vulnerable. If it’s not something that’s is available to you right now, you can focus on cultivating self-compassion and approaching the challenges around food and eating from a place of self-care rather than self-control.
You can also reach out to me, if you have specific questions around food and eating during this time, I am happy to help!
Yulia Nutrition 