Mindfulness and EQ for The Difficult Times

Under normal conditions, we could all define difficult time differently. However, the challenge for all of us nowadays will be related to Covid19. Even if the epidemic slows down or passes, we all know that different challenges await us in the post part.

In these difficult times, we can benefit more from mindfulness and emotional intelligence as we get used to the new norms.

Here are a few small tips:

  • We can increase our gratitude. There are the difficulties we live in, we accept, but on the other hand, despite everything in these times, we should also be able to see the incredible beauties that humanity has been experienced. A Hungarian Proverb says that when the bridge is gone, the narrowest plank becomes precious. We can ask ourselves if we saw this plank.
  • we can increase hope. all research shows that positive people who feed hope overcome difficulties more easily. As Nazım Hikmet says 

“We will see good days, children

We will see sunny days. “

Everything we believe, think and express is getting strengthened; they either support us or be a shackle for us.

  • We can embrace our emotions. All emotions remind us that we are completely alive. We are as human as we can feel, and all difficult emotions connect us to our humanity. And we know that like rain, all emotions are temporary and it doesn’t rain every day. In that intense feeling rain, we can embrace our emotions with compassion, curiosity and gratitude. As Annie Dillard said, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” We have to decide which emotions we will spend our days.
  • “Peace at home, peace in the world.” said Ataturk. We can say peace in myself, peace with everyone and everything. The peace we experience in ourselves is proportional to the peace we are able to offer others and the world. We should find ways to access inner peace and quietude. When we find the ways then we can only share. Mindful Breathing or Body Scan practices can be a good start.
  • We can increase the level of our kindness and compassion.  The perception of threats trigger the limbic system of the brain, pushing us into survival mode. However, in difficult times, we see everything around us as a threat and we experience the world with a strong negativity bias. By preserving the survival mode, we can nurture empathy, compassion and compassion in our lives. In this way, we can balance negative bias and overcome difficulties more easily.
  • We can increase our awareness which we can either react or respond to difficult times. The news and flow of information is constantly updating and changing. We are being barraged by different triggers. And unfortunately, if we are on auto-pilot mode, we are near to react. If we make mindfulness is a part of our life, we can give ourselves the space to take a moment before giving to react. Thus, we can be strong enough to deal with challenges rather than being reactive and constantly grouch.
  • We can achieve balance. Staying mentally and emotionally balanced, even in the face of great difficulty, it is a huge success. Our regular routines are changing; we have new routines and habits. We need to create a new game plan for our healthy habits. We can create a new routine that includes physical fitness, healthy eating and sleep. We can even scare the difficulties if we can adapt all the changes in our lives to the new norms in a balanced way.

Paying attention to mindfulness and EQ makes differences in our lives in difficult times. We can heal and strengthen ourselves with tiny touches. For this, sometimes we have to change what we say, sometimes what we hear, sometimes what we see. Mindfulness will provide this to us. Being aware of and managing emotions is also an important skill of not only difficult times but always. As Gandhi says “Your beliefs become your thoughts, Your thoughts become your words, Your words become your actions, Your actions become your habits, Your habits become your values, Your values become your destiny.”