What has it been like for you under this COVID-19 lockdown? Do you feel optimistic or pessimistic about the future in the so-called New Normal? Are you struggling with bouts of sadness while being stuck at home? Are you impatient to get out into the world again?
With COVID-19 dominating headlines, and the overflow of constantly changing information and control orders that come with it, this crisis is undoubtedly taking a toll on many of us. Mental health specialists now foresee a ‘profound’ mental health fallout and have called for more funding for research into the matter.
One way people have chosen to care for their wellbeing is through intimate sharing sessions, which are becoming more popular the longer people are encouraged to limit social activity and stay indoors.
Coping with emotional and psychological distress caused by concerns like isolation, job uncertainty, and fear of catching the virus are unquestionably a challenge for many of us. But there are tools and steps you can take to manage not just your mental health but your overall wellbeing too. In conjunction with Mental Health Awareness month, these tools and steps will be explored in an upcoming learning and sharing session of Hello Zafigo (30 May, 3PM), where Marina Mahathir will be speaking with wellness coach Amanda Luukinen on how we can live well in this ‘new normal’.
Apart from being a certified wellness coach, Amanda is also the founder of Allways Live Well which is, in her words, “a commitment to the active pursuit of living well”. Amanda supports and guides women from different walks of life in learning how to be in good health in all areas of their lives: mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical.
Through personalised coaching sessions and intimate women’s circles, Amanda provides a safe, compassionate space for women to feel supported to make long-lasting changes in their lives. Her clients learn how to trust in themselves, strive for learning in place of perfection, express their needs and desires, and feel deeply empowered to live life as a woman. She also speaks, writes, and leads workshops on the topic of ‘Learning to Live Well’, which she believes is essential to living life as a woman.
We got in touch with a clinical psychologist for helpful and healthy advice on how we can look after our mental wellbeing during the Movement Control Order. Here’s what we learned: Looking After Your Mental Health During COVID-19The ability to shift your mindset has never been more important than it is now. As we come to realise “back to normal” no longer exists, how can we embrace the “new normal” while maintaining mental and emotional health?
Whether big or small, this pandemic has affected us in different ways. Here at Zafigo, travel has been an essential mental and self-care activity, not just for the team but for our readers and followers as well. We travel to challenge ourselves physically, as well as meet personal emotional and mental needs. Since travel is not a viable outlet for the time being, there is a longing to find alternative ways to address these needs.
Travellers aren’t the only ones impacted psychologically by the crisis and in need of help – some have been forced to look for supplementary income due to pay cuts, some are struggling to keep their businesses afloat, and dread having to layoff employees. Some find themselves trapped in intolerable domestic settings. Some are our frontliners, working tirelessly to curb the outbreak. Whatever our concerns, this lack of a sense of control contributes to our rising stress and anxiety levels.
Amanda will be exploring and discussing how to make a mindset shift, how to live well staying in the same place, and give you simple, effective tools to help you maintain and improve your mental and emotional health amidst all the changes.
During the session, you will also have the opportunity to ask Amanda about any concerns you may have in relation to your physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual wellbeing.
Shifting Your Mind: How To Live Well In The New Normal will be hosted on Zoom for FREE. Details of the web session are as follows:
DATE:
Saturday, May 30, 2020
TIME:
3PM Malaysia (GMT+8)
DURATION:
60 minutes
Sign up for the session on Zoom here: bit.ly/ZoomHZ03
More information on Amanda Luukinen and her work can be found here: www.allwayslivewell.com
Please note that:
- If you are joining the panel via your mobile phone, you will be required to download Zoom. Download the Zoom app here: Google Play Store (Android), App Store (iPhone).
- The session is limited to 100 participants. After clicking the invitation link, if you are redirected to a Waiting Room, it means that the session is full. You can only join the session if another participant leaves.
Upcoming sessions of Hello Zafigo will be announced sporadically. To stay up-to-date on this and future sessions of Hello Zafigo, follow us on Facebook and/or Instagram.
Watch previous Hello Zafigo sessions here: zafigo.com/hello-zafigo
