Wellbeing
During these challenging times, there is a wealth of information available to advise and support parents and carers. We hope the information that we present over the next few weeks will be useful as you navigate your way through our second period of remote and flexible learning.
As always, this information is general and may/may not suit your family’s individual circumstances.
In this newsletter:
TALi Health: Handling kids while working from home
TALi Health: Teaching your kids good tech habits
Surviving Stage 4 restrictions
Taking a photo of a particular subject from completely a different position or angle results in very different perspectives of the subject. Often the more unusual the angle the more interesting a result. A shift in our own focus or a change of perspective can be very helpful for us as well, particularly with our emotional, psychological and spiritual well being.
Feeling less negative or stressed helps to improve our day; puts us in a better mood and increases our sense of satisfaction, including long term wellbeing. It also has a positive influence upon the people around us.
There’s no question that Stage 4 of the lock down is having more of an impact on most people than previous restrictions. The impact is greater on some than others. So, what can be done? Getting into the way of intentionally doing things that shift our focus and change our perspective is helpful for all ages and is a worthwhile skill to apply for our lifetime.
With a little brainstorming we can draw up a list of possibilities to assist us with doing this. No matter how small, when we intentionally make the time to do something every day, it will make a difference to how we get through this difficult period of time and beyond. Some suggestions listed below are a starting point to assist with an intentional shift in focus:
- Escape into an engaging book
- Watch a movie or television show that generates positive or happy feelings
- Seek out positive news stories or podcasts
- Start a new achievable project
- Groom a pet
- Pot up some seeds or seedlings
- Plant vegetables
- Pick a posy of flowers
- Smell a flower or two
- Take a few really deep breaths
- Have a relaxing bath
- Improve ball skills and/or balance
- Learn to do a headstand or handstand
- Exercise
- Relaxation techniques
- Research names of unknown plants in local gardens
- Which bird species can be spotted locally
- Watch ants or bees at work
- Look around a room or outdoors and spot everything in a particular colour or shape.
In addition, some suggestions listed below that could assist in providing a different perspective on life:
- Walk down a different street to the usual
- Drive or ride along a different route
- Become aware of different aromas whilst moving around
- Seek out and dwell upon a view i.e. of the Dandenong Ranges
- View stars in the night sky
- Contemplate the movement of water in an outdoor garden feature, stream or river 2
- Observe the process of an awakening dawn or the setting sun
- View photos taken from high above the earth or from outer space
- With eyes closed become acutely aware of scents and sounds
- Practice mindfulness, meditation or spend time in prayer
- Focusing upon the needs of others brings a sense of accomplishment and provides a different viewpoint.
Some ideas might be to:
- Bake something and leave a portion on a special person’s doorstep
- Write a letter or card to someone who needs a boost or has a special occasion to celebrate
- Telephone or videoconference someone to show we care about them.
Along with the above suggestions there will be others that are more suitable for each of us individually. Whilst drawing up a personalised list, also experiment with taking photos of a particular subject from vastly different angles and see which results are preferred.
Have fun!!
Anne Lawry
Chaplain