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In times of crisis – and a pandemic is certainly a crisis! – it is important to slow down, take pause, and check in with ourselves.  How am I doing? How am I feeling?  How am I coping with the stress and pressure I’m experiencing right now?  

This type of check-in provides an opportunity to ground and reconnect with ourselves and our intuition in intentional and meaningful ways.  It is also an opportunity to discover where we need to focus our energy and refuel.  Engaging in this type of self-exploration can lead to an increased sense of well-being and ability to cope.   

When our systems have experienced prolonged states of stress, slowing down can feel overwhelming and even trigger additional stress responses.  Practicing grounding techniques is an important part of shifting gears and can signal to our bodies that we’re gradually slowing down rather than slamming on the brakes.  Controlled breathing, gradual muscle relaxation, movement, and visualization exercises are all forms of grounding techniques.  
Once we feel grounded, using a gas tank analogy can be a quick way to check in with ourselves and identify areas we need to refuel: 

  1. How is my overall health (physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, intellectually, socially, financial, and environmentally)? Are my gas tanks in each of these categories full, half-full, or running on fumes?
  2. What category needs gas?  What are S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound) goals that can help me to refuel? 

Moving through life on autopilot can create a loud noise that drowns out our intuitive voices.  When we’re not able to discern what our intuition is telling us, we can feel stuck, uncertain, and an overall sense of internal disconnect.  Slowing down, quieting the noise, and identifying ways that we can refuel helps to strengthen our intuition, and improves our sense of well-being and ability to cope.   

If you’re on autopilot, it is possible to shift gears!  Take a moment to slow down, check in with yourself, and discover how your intuition can help you cope in times of crisis.

To learn more about Intuitive Counselling, please contact Elizabeth: info@elizabethdvergsten.com or visit her website: www.elizabethdvergsten.com.  You can also find her on Instagram @elizabethdvergsten.

Crisis Line – (https://www.gov.mb.ca/health/mh/crisis.html)

Government Supported Virtual Therapy – (http://www.manitoba.ca/covid19/bewell/virtualtherapy.html)