Youth and Young Adults

BY ROBYN BAILEY
Regional Youth Ministry Coordinator

Our experiences of this pandemic vary. Our home, work, school, and personality can influence how we feel the effects of social isolation. Undoubtablely there are some people who are thriving in their current circumstances and those who aren’t. It is okay to be wherever you are at.

Today, we will give some tips and advice to try and find peace in your everyday life.

Find time for relaxation

Before we tackle how relaxation could look for you, let’s look at ways we can find the time for it. One way is to schedule the time. For example, at 4 pm, I will unplug from my phone for 30 minutes to read a blog. By creating an allocated time for such activities, we are ensuring that we get the most of the time to focus on our wellbeing.
Plenty of resources that have been created to help you relax are just a Google search away. Some great examples include guided Christian meditation, going for long walks, baking for someone else, writing a letter to a relative, and reading a book. Look at what works for you already. When you become comfortable in your relaxation time, try something new.

Be 5-10 minutes early

Zoom has been a blessing for many. We can connect with people for school, work, and even for our social life. Anxiety can build up when you have reached your designated start time, and you cannot find the meeting link, or you haven’t gotten your books ready, or you’ve forgotten to get a glass of water. This can make our minds frazzled. We can take steps to remove some anxiety by turning up to our meetings 10 minutes early and getting everything ready. We can do a lot in 10 minutes.

Reorganisation

Reorganise or declutter? These two concepts are highly regarded in helping provide clarity and peacefulness not only to the mind but also to the body. As Christians, we are called away from material possessions to seek God and our place in Heaven instead. However, we still need materials to live our everyday lives.

It is important to note here that most, if not all, goodwill stores such as the Red Cross or Vinnies are currently not accepting donations due to COVID-19. This doesn’t stop us though, from throwing away unnecessary items or reorganising our clothes and stationery drawers. You’ll soon find out whether you want to keep absolutely everything in your room or not. Below is an interesting link on different ways to tackle your personal space or workspace.

The Best Decluttering Advice We’ve Heard (Huffington Post)

Escape from technology

I’ve made an unofficial rule for myself for the mornings; I’m not allowed to scroll on my phone for the first 30 minutes I am awake. It was an easy decision as I feel stress looking up the news or scrolling my social feeds at 7 am. Recently I’ve stopped using my phone on my morning walk. I love lip-syncing and sometimes dancing in the street; however, one morning I was walking to the beat of nature and I haven’t stopped since. Technology is amazing and has some impressive benefits now that the world has gone virtual. But, it’s also so important to take a step back from it every once in a while.

It can be easy to skim past peace and long for it in times of trouble. By choosing peace now and allowing it to flow within you every day, time of trouble might not seem so bad. Whichever choice you make, own it.