‘Be patient & tough, someday the pain will be useful to you’ ~ Ovid
I thought it would be useful to revisit this Ovid quote from 2000 years ago today as we’re coming out of our second Easter in lockdown.
Some wisdom doesn’t change through the ages and this piece of advice still feels particularly relevant in the circumstances we find ourselves in now.
Be patient and tough whilst going through trying times and some day what we are experiencing in the now will become the learning of the past and the growth of the future. Although lockdown is coming to an end, again; sometimes it’s hard to imagine when this situation will truly be in the past.
Thankfully learning is a journey, a constantly ongoing process. Take a moment to reflect on the things that you have learned about yourself in this past year.
What support mechanisms do you have to help you to maintain your sense of wellbeing and care for your mental health when times are tough?
Do you have favourite activities that you’ve been able to keep up in some way that have helped you to deal with the stress and frustration?
One of the things that I find helpful is imagery, sitting with an image or taking time to appreciate something in nature around me, maybe watching a butterfly or a bee as they alight on their favourite flower; wondering what it is about that particular flower has attracted them and trying to see the beauty of it for myself. I love the colours of this particular image and the fact that to me, the vibrancy of the colours could represent both pain and healing, hurt or warmth depending upon my mindset when I study it.
If you are feeling uncertain or if you are hurting in this current situation – do you have someone to talk to who will listen without judging or telling you what you should do when you are feeling unsettled and just looking for someone to help you gain a new perspective but decide for yourself what’s next?
Chaplains can be that person for you. If you’d like to talk to one you are very welcome to call or text me directly on my mobile: 07526 378529. Alternatively you can email info@mite.org.uk and request a call back.
For more information on supporting wellbeing, we have a range of resources on our web-site including some that are more specific to the Covid-19 outbreak and some that help in dealing with stress in general: https://mite.org.uk/quietspace and you can find other resources on Mental Health Matters and in this TED talk How to be kinder to yourself amongst many other online offerings that will come up in any Google search.
Please keep in touch with us on social media:
Facebook: @mitechaplaincy Twitter: @mitesthwarr
Photo by Laura Vinck on Unsplash
