By Kristen Mark ND
This year has brought a wave of challenges in every area of life – every person, business, and community has been affected.
Fatigue, frustration and anger are common and normal reactions to the upheavals we’ve experienced over these past few months. So yes, most of us are exhausted. And yet the demands to adapt, produce, and care for continue.
As we work on re-opening, re-building, and moving forward, we face the daunting, perhaps frustrating, even scary reality of interacting with people who may feel differently about how to proceed through this pandemic. It’s crucial to remember that we’re all coming from different places, and have different priorities.
Be clear on your needs and boundaries
We need to focus on what is within our power to do and change, and let go of what is not. So be clear on your needs and boundaries. Articulate these for yourself, and for those in your bubble. And respect the needs and boundaries of others. Public health is looking out for the greater good of the population, and I strongly recommend that everyone follow their recommendations at a minimum (updated here: covid-19.ontario.ca/), but you are best equipped to set the priorities and boundaries that will serve you best within that framework. If you’re comfortable starting to expand your bubble, and perhaps go for that much needed haircut, go ahead. However, if you feel you’re not ready to open up as much as the government has suggested, that’s ok too. Be kind and patient with yourself and others. We’re all figuring this out as we go.
It’s a lot. It can feel like there’s no room for anything else.
We’re being asked to stay up to date with public health recommendations as we evaluate the effects of re-opening the city, and to attend to hand hygiene, physical distancing and proper mask use on an on-going basis, even as we navigate new and changing demands in our personal and professional lives. Not to mention everything else we may have already been dealing with before covid-19. It’s a lot. It can feel like there’s no room for anything else.
Whenever we’re feeling overwhelmed, stressed, anxious, frustrated, exhausted – these are signals that there’s a need for self-care. With so much demanded of us, we absolutely need to take the time to recover and recharge. No battery, no engine, no person can function without adequate fuel. We must make time to care for our minds, bodies, and spirits. It is not selfish. It is not a luxury. This is mandatory maintenance.
Build our collective resilience
A proactive approach to health that emphasizes the importance of self-care, the cultivation of wellness and the prevention of illness will help to build our collective resilience. By taking the lead in fostering a wellness first lifestyle, you are committing an act of kindness for yourself, but you are also supporting your ability to contribute care and support to your family, community, and the world, and to create and achieve what matters most to you.
I am committed to doing this work for myself. I prioritize self-care so that I have the strength and resilience to do my work, and to support my loved ones. I am committed to honest self-reflection and self-development because I recognize the need to better myself so that I can constructively contribute to my community. I am committed to listen and learn while centering the voices of people who are Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC), and those in 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, so that I can do my part to remove barriers to care, to dismantle racism, and eradicate transphobia and homophobia. I remain open to feedback on how I can better serve as an ally both personally and professionally.
And I do this work so that I can be here to support you in your journey.
Together, we will navigate the new and changing landscape of our world. We will break down patterns and habits that no longer serve. We will forge ahead to a future where our needs are met and our goals within reach. We will be dedicated to building our resources and nurturing resilience.
I look forward to seeing you in person as the transition to opening up progresses. I continue to offer both remote appointments, and sliding scale options. Let’s not let finances or pandemics get in the way of well-being. Book online or reach out directly: kristenmarknd@gmail.com
Knowledge is Power: Let’s talk wellness
Kristen Mark ND believes that knowledge is power. She knows that the better we can tune in, understand and respond to our needs, the more we can accomplish. That is why Kristen creates educational seminars that are straight-forward, informative and practical. To complement the benefits of 1-on-1 naturopathic care, Kristen offers wellness talks that break down important everyday health topics like stress management, eating well, immune health, seasonal allergies, and sleep, in a way that renders the complex simple. She helps you navigate the often-overwhelming arena of wellness so that you can focus on feeling better, stronger, and healthier.
Book today to support your workplace or community group with a relevant and applicable resource that will make a difference in how you feel, think, work, and function.
For more: kristenmarknd.com/offerings