Whether we are consciously aware of it or not, our homes play an important role in supporting us through daily life. However, in our current climate (global pandemic) their importance is even more crucial.
Pandemic stressors like job and economic loss, trauma from illness or witnessing illness, bereavement, and the entire unknown-ness of the times we are living in require more adaptive energy. We’ve all been exposed to heightened stress and professionals are starting to refer to ‘allostatic load’ and the cumulative effect of chronic stress.
Allostatic load can be officially defined as ‘the cost of chronic exposure to elevated or fluctuating endocrine or neural responses resulting from chronic or repeated challenges that the individual experiences as stressful.’ From: International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 2001
Put simply…it’s the toll on the brain and body from long term exposure to stress.
The reason it’s important to acknowledge is that it can lead to a whole range of symptoms such as:
- Memory loss, brain fog
- Compromised attention span
- Poor decision making that is more impulsive, less reflective
- Lack of innovation, reliance on routine behavior
- Eroding ability to weather adversity
Any of these sound familiar? It’s well worth taking a moment to consider that due to the global pandemic, these symptoms are more normal than not.
The good news is that with understanding and an empowered approach, challenging times can make us stronger and more resilient. It takes work, it’s not always easy, but it’s always worth it!
Although we often have little control of what is happening ‘out there’, we have powerful control over what unfolds in our own homes. Infact, most of us have immense freedom in our home space and probably forget the luxury of this.
There are many ways we can enhance the quality of our ‘home experience’ so it supports and nurtures us more. Being aware of the heightened sensitivity of those around us, encourages us to practice more patience and compassion – remember to be patient with yourself too.
Creating easy to maintain routines in the home can help foster a greater sense of overall control. Intentionally creating self care rituals (such as a daily meditation or gratitude practices) can create inner space and quality down time. Most importantly, find things that work for you. Your home is your domain and on a soul level you know exactly what needs to be done there. These times invite us to listen to our own whispers…
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