Emotional burnout is real.
The past few weeks have been intense.
As the Israel-Palestine conflict escalates, the world watches in full trepidation.
I’m not here to share my opinion on the conflict. There are tonnes of other, more qualified writers, journalists, and influencers that can do that.
Regardless of which side you are on — this is a collective experience.
Humanity as a WHOLE is affected by the conflict.
Witnessing all the violence has a tremendous effect on our nervous system, even if you are viewing it thousands of miles away from a screen.
I’ve been devouring endless content on updating the situation in the Middle East.
From mainstream news channels to social media. From video footage of victims to influencer takes on the situation.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been feeling relatively low.
Mentally, I noticed my mood shifted to slight feelings of depression and hopelessness.
Physically, my immune system is weak. I’ve contracted the flu, lost my voice, and feel feverish.
Soulfully, I’ve been struggling to find the inspiration to write. This is only the second article I’ve written this month, and it’s already the 20th.
I’ve noticed this all started happening in tandem with the conflict in the Middle East.
In times of heightened collective anxiety, let’s take a look at how we can manage ourselves better.
Continue Practising Self-Care
I must admit I have been neglecting my self-care routine.
My daily morning meditation has been replaced with continuous scrolling of news content.
My exercise routines have been replaced with reposting on social media content about news that I think people must know about.
Somehow, at the back of my mind, I feel guilty about practicing self-care when the people in the conflict areas are fighting for their lives.
They have no basic human necessities like water, food, or electricity. Their homes are being constantly bombarded with missiles and bombs.
And here I am, practicing yoga. Sheesh.
But here’s the thing: when you neglect your own self-care, you are depleting your own cup. As they say, you can’t give out of an empty cup.
Don’t let that guilt paralyze you. Turn that guilt into gratitude that you are in safe conditions.
Responding with gratitude instead of self-shame will empower you more to fight for the cause.
Consume Content Mindfully (and Limitedly)
The content you consume is kind of like the food you eat.
The food you eat has a direct impact on your well-being — your physical health, your energy levels, and your mental state.
Similarly, the content you consume also has such powerful effects!
If you consume too much negative, heavy content, you will eventually absorb the heaviness and negativity into your physical body, too.
Ever notice how your shoulders tense up when you watch a horror movie? That’s literally your body storing up all the tense energy in your shoulders.
One thing I’m struggling with is how to balance watching enough content to stay informed on the matter without overdoing it to the point of heaviness.
I reckon it’s about setting time limits. Give yourself x amount of minutes/hours a day to read up, watch videos, and update yourself on the issue at hand.
But put your phone, TV, or iPad down once that time is up.
And be strict about it.
Feel Your Emotions
The human experience includes a vast continuum of emotions.
Happiness — Sadness.
Rage — Terror.
Admiration — Disgust.
Throughout your journey of being human, you are bound to feel emotions from the entire spectrum.
To be human is to feel one’s emotions and experience them.
It is tempting during these times of conflict to wish certain emotions away.
In my case, I actually feel bad about smiling and feeling happiness. Aren’t I supposed to feel empathy for those suffering?
But then I realized you can fight for humanity without neglecting your own.
To be human is to laugh and cry — sometimes at the same time.
And that’s okay.
Any of you are feeling somewhat low with the recent events happening in the world?
I would love to hear how you’ve managed to maintain your own wellness in these challenging times!
This article was originally published on Medium.
