TL;DR

A state of "flow" is when you lose yourself in an activity—one that is challenging , enjoyable, and lets you monitor progress toward a specific goal.

At least 40% of people surveyed have reported that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on their mental health.

Achieving a “flow state” by focusing on positive activities may be important in supporting your mental health and building resilience during these months of isolation. Researchers (in a study published last month) found that people who achieved a state of flow felt less lonely and more positive during isolation in the COVID pandemic.

This is my most recent drawing. I love working in charcoal; it’s loose, forgiving (read:erasable!), messy, expressive…

What tools do you need to get through a winter? To walk or drive safely on treacherous surfaces, and then to shelter safely? What do you need to survive winter?

Warm clothing…snow tires…boots,crampons/skis/snowshoes, walking poles. Salt for the sidewalks. Shelter, firewood, good books (or Netflix) for long evenings.

Feather your own nest with the tools you will need. Most of us know the ritual of winter preparations. Feather your nest.

And then, think; what tools do you need to survive times of stress and loss, to walk across the surface of anxiety and grief without sinking to your waist?

Resiliency - it looks different on everyone.  We are all feeling the fatigue of the prolonged stress of the COVID pandemic. Social isolation, uncertainty about the future, masking, loss of our routines and joys. It is exhausting. Trying to be “resilient” during this time can feel uneven. Give yourself some compassion.