How to cope in isolation or lock down ... ask someone who lives with a chronic health condition ...

This is a truth bomb today.   It really is.  As these times are calling us to really reflect on many things.  Including those around us who have a lot of courage and wisdom that perhaps we just haven't realised.   And now's the time to listen and to ask these people for support.    ​

There are so many people who live with health challenges or health conditions, every single day.  Many people who've done a lot of the inner work and healing work they need, to keep thriving with what they live with, even on the the really hard days.  

As we worry about this virus and what this might mean, many people already live with something that's changed their life in many ways. 

Because of what they lived with, they've learnt how to manage their emotions, how to adapt to doing things differently, how they see themselves as holistic beings knowing that all parts are connected. 

They're learnt what they need to do to keep themselves as healthy as they can, to keep flourishing and thriving in life.  They've learnt how to slow down, how to step back and how to rest.  They've learnt how to be creative in their lives to support themselves.  

Even when there are hard days, or symptoms might limit abilities to get out and about.  Or plans have had to change, or they can't do the exercise they love doing for a while.  Or they've had to press pause on things, and accept what is, and still carry themselves through in their every day lives, in supportive ways.   

All of these things so many people are wondering how they will do, or cope in doing so.  I hope that by sharing this you feel encouraged that you are not in these times alone and many of us deeply understand uncertainty and challenging times, like these.  

Many people who live with health conditions, chronic illness or chronic pain know how to support themselves in these times, to stay uplifted and optimistic, as well as being very real and honest about how things are and feel.  These are the people we can truly listen to for understanding, knowledge, wisdom, and look to for compassion.  Because they understand all of this, and they know how to support themselves, and how to truly support others too.  

I encourage you to reach out to someone you know who's been living with a health condition and knows how to manage and support themselves.  Especially if they are a health professional, a coach, a healer, psychologist, a wellness pracitioner or some other modality too.  They will be famililar with challenges and uncertainty.  And if they are truly authentic in who they are and how they lead and support others, then they will have taken the time to really know themselves, to listen to themselves and their own needs, and they will have an understanding of how we can all benefit in these times, and support ourselves and each other.  

I am one of these people, and I encourage you to reach out to me, if you are feeling worried, stressed, anxious, isolated and anything you might be feeling right now.  Mental wellbeing is at an all time high, and I know the impact of anxiety on wellbeing.  Through the work I do with others, and through living with a health condition for many years now. 

It's changed how I live my life in so many ways.  But I know how to move through uncertainty and my own challenging days.  I know to ask myself what I need and to put my mental wellbeing first above everything.  I know what fear and anxiety feels like, the impact it has on my own body, I'm very familiar with these emotions. 

 know to step back, to calm in my own inner world, and to come back to othes from a place of deep inner peace.  This is how I serve. This is how I support.  And if you are needing support right now, then I'd love to talk with you, to help you in the ways that you need personally for yourself and your own life.  To feel that you can manage things in way to support yourself and those around you too.  

I absolutely practice what I speak to and talk about with clients, in a truly holistic way.  Because I know it's what best supports us all, and even more so, in these times.  A holistic approach to wellbeing that treats the mind, body, spirit, heart and all emotions not as separate, but as one.   All parts of us are connected.  

Many of us are worried and fearful about isolation and lock down.  I am in isolation at the moment, and to be honest, I don't think I'd be handling it nearly as well if I didn't have the inner resilience and resources within me, from what I've lived with, to know what I need to support myself.  Healthy food, healthy mind, and healthy practices - all of these are so important to manage these challenging times.   I will be writing and sharing some resources about all of these things.  

Those of us who've lived with health conditions, illness or disability of all kinds, know the feeling of having life limited in some or many ways.  As the rest of the community and world is fearful, worried and scared about isoation, many of us have known these times in our own lives, already.  We've known uncertainty, we've had to come to terms with things, lean into accceptance, adjust our lives in new ways, be creative about how we do things, and really support our minds, emotions, hearts and bodies, in a truly holistic way.   

We understand the very real feelings of our health being affected, we know fear as we've lived with it within ourselves, and if we've truly done our own inner work, and we know what it is that best supports us, then we know how to compassionatly  support others too.  

Fear is a very real emotion when you live with a health condition.  And I've been worried about what this virus might mean for me. As I know others with compromised immune systems and health conditions, are worried too.  But, many of us know just how much our minds and bodies are connected.  We have come to know ourselves and our bodies very well, and we know to listen. 

For me, I have ways I already know to manage my 'not-so-good' days, so that I can still be present with my clients, so I can still show up in all the ways I can, ways I can stay uplifted and optimistic, as well as the reality that it's also needed and okay to feel everything at times. But I do know the impact of fear on my own body, and wellbeing, and so, when I feel it, I'm very certain about what I do for myself to stop those neural mind pathways from continuining and increasing.  I know it doesn't serve me.  And to instead, lean into everything that I know to be nurturing, nourishing, to encourage stillness and quiet within, and to know that to support ohters, I choose to always come from this space of inner peace.  

A holistic approach is never more important for wellbeing than right now.  And with mental wellbeing so impacted, I encourage you to reach out to someone you know who's been living with something or through something that's changed their lives in many ways.  Because these people, like myself, know uncertainty, they've lived through it and may still do every day.  They know what it feels like in challenging times and what to do to keep themselves calm and grounded and centered.  This is where understanding, compassion and true support lies.  

I've never felt so grateful to have all my wisdom and knowledge as a nutritionist and naturopath, counsellor, psychologist and life coach, and meditation teacher  - to draw on all of these things, in a truly holsitic way to support my own health and to support others.   

And as I reflect on many life experiences and times of adversity, I understand that now's the time to really serve.  And to give from this space of undersatnding and compassion. 

If you are worried, anxious, stressed, isolated and really feeling it all right now, please reach out for support.  I am here.  I am listening.  I can guide you in ways to support yourself.  I can support you to feel safe and to trust in yourself and to know that you have all the inner resources that you need.  I really believe in this, because  I know this is true for myself.  So much.    

I am feeling and hearing so much stress and anxiety around me, right now.  And as I am in isolation, I know even more so, what it is that's supporting me and what isn't.  

I would love to have a conversation, and to offer my support to you, with my heart and compassion. 

With love x 
​Katie   ​