New years, new semesters, and new beginnings can be a time for reflecting on the previous season and setting goals for the next phase of your journey. Creating a Vision Board can be a powerful way to use your creativity to focus on your strengths, aspirations, and goals.

Did you know that vision boards can also support your mental health and emotional well-being? By centering your personal values, beliefs, strengths, intentions, and purpose, your vision board can serve as a visual reminder of who you are, what you stand for, and what you aspire to become. This kind of “anchor” can remind you of your worth and keep your well-being front and center, which is essential in times of societal uncertainty and instability. 

Five years after the start of the COVID pandemic and experiences of trauma and social unrest, you may feel a heightened state of uncertainty in your life and community today. For many people of color, today’s political, social, and environmental concerns — and the polarizing rhetoric, threats, and violence present in our nation — can arouse feelings of frustration, anxiety, fear, distrust, and hopelessness. As a parent or caregiver, the challenges you can face as you try to shield and protect your children and others is an uncomfortable (even terrifying) prospect.

Managing Complexity: Reflection Questions

How are you managing the complexity of all you are seeing and feeling as a parent or caregiver? How are you addressing it with your children? You may be asking questions like:

  • “How do I have conversations that are developmentally appropriate for my child’s age and stage of life?”
  • “How do I determine whether I should start a conversation with them if they have not expressed a desire to talk about an issue?”
  • “How can I tell if they are feeling anxious about the future but have not shared it with me because they don’t want to worry me?” 
  • “How can I make sure they’re informed about current events while also creating an insulated space where they feel safe to grow and be themselves?”
  • “How do I alleviate my child’s fears and concerns when I don’t have the answers myself?”

Taking Proactive Steps: “Put Your Own Oxygen Mask on First.”

First acknowledge that this is hard. It is okay to not have the answers. It is okay to feel anxious, sad, demoralized, and angry at what you see happening in society. Many people have been taught that the way to make it through hard times is to compartmentalize or suppress our emotions, and just keep going. 

While this may have some merit in the short term, in the long term it can be unhealthy for you as an individual and for your loved ones and communities. The term “allostatic load” refers to the wear and tear our bodies experience from chronic stress over time. In a situation of potentially prolonged uncertainty and stress, a long-term plan is necessary.

Here are three ways to take care of yourself — so you can sustain support for others. 

  • Take care of yourself mentally and emotionally.
    1. Acknowledge thoughts that cause you worry and the emotions that feel uncomfortable, without shame. 
    2. Find ways to vent or express your emotions in constructive ways, like journaling, prayer, or therapy.
    3. Repeat this process frequently. 
  • Take care of yourself spiritually. 
    1. Connect regularly with spiritual practices that bring you a sense of peace and connection.
    2. Allow yourself to use these practices to understand what you see happening in the world and to find your place in it.
  • Take care of yourself physically. 
    1. Recognize that physical and mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being go hand in hand. 
    2. Make sure that you are up to date on any checkups and screening tests with your doctors (colonoscopy, mammogram, etc.).
    3. Focus on health measures such as Body Mass Index instead of a number on the weight scale.
    4. Use how you want to feel (better energy, less joint pain, etc.) as your motivation for making and sustaining changes in your weight.
    5. Focus on nourishing your body with healthy foods that can provide the nutrients you need to be healthy, rather than on simply restricting unhealthy foods. 
    6. Move your body as frequently as possible. It’s recommended that about 2.5 hours of exercise per week can increase your heart rate and keep you healthy. Think creatively about how you can accomplish this. You’d be amazed at what 15 minutes of line dancing in your living room can do to get your heart rate up!
Dr. Gina’s 15-minute line dance challenge

  1. Warm up with a Cha Cha Slide > Play Music
  2. Do the Cupid Shuffle (add 5 lb weights for an extra challenge) > Play Music
  3. Shift to the Wobble > Play Music
  4. Cool Down with the Electric Slide > Play Music

Coming from a place of mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical balance will equip you to respond to the needs of your child. Now that you have a plan for yourself, in our next article we’ll talk about strategies to navigate these challenging times with your young person. 

Read Taking Care of Your Young People in Uncertain Times.