In my last blog post I talked about what is not being talked about as frequently…how COVID-19 has affected people who struggle with mental illness as well as the importance of checking in with friends and loved ones.

For me personally, I thought I had a grasp on my anxiety until some less than ideal BPD symptoms crept in over the last week. As a result, I think it’s fitting to discuss how essential it is to check in with ourselves on a very frequent basis in general, but most especially while amidst a pandemic.

For a while it is easy to tell yourself, “I’m fine, I will get through this. I always do.” I continue to struggle with accepting the fact that it is okay to not be okay all the time. At the end of the day, you are the only one you really have and it is up to you to accept and sit with your circumstances and the emotions that are flooding in because of aforementioned circumstances. Lately, my anxiety has been so high there is no scale to measure the extremity of it. When I feel that I am spiraling and there’s a possibility I won’t be able to pull myself out of it, I take a few deep breaths and ask myself three questions.

1. What am I most anxious about right now? 

2. Will what I’m fixated on be as overwhelming as it is in this moment? If it is, what tangible steps can I take to plan for the future? 

3. What do I need in order to sit with these emotions and observe them without judgement?

I’ve found that journaling my responses to each question and making a list of what I can control vs. what I cannot helps tremendously. What I’ve started doing in the mornings is writing a list of things that make me happy and what I am grateful for. What do you do to check in with yourself, and ensure you stay present and mindful during this time of overwhelming uncertainty?

I don’t feel it fitting to report on behalf of the general mental state of people amongst this pandemic that is affecting our economy and ability to maintain a sense of normalcy and routine. However, I can share my personal experience with how being in complete quarantine has affected my mental state overall. Up until recently, I paid little attention to my mental state and how people similar to me, with mental disorders are negatively impacted in multiple ways. For those with Borderline Personality Disorder, change in routines can be extremely triggering. 

The American Psychiatric Association (APA), explains: The perception of impending separation, rejection, or the loss of external structure, can lead to profound changes in self-image, affect, cognition and behavior. These individuals are very sensitive to environmental circumstances. The APA further highlights the importance of structured work and school situations, which can severely impact performance and BPD symptoms.

I read an article on The Mighty that strongly resonated with me. Kellyann Navarre said it best, “People with BPD tend to experience intense emotional reactivity for long periods of time, with a slow return to a stable emotional baseline. The specific symptoms impact major areas of functioning, including emotional, behavioral, interpersonal, cognitive, and sense of self and direction. A few of the main symptoms include chronic emptiness, mood instability and impulsivity. People with BPD often find themselves having extreme reactions to real or imagined abandonment or rejection. A mundane event, such as a brief separation at work or being perceived as a failure on an ordinary task, may exacerbate symptoms.” 

While the uncertainty as far as what will transpire every morning that we wakeup is extremely unsettling and stressful, I think it is of the utmost importance to focus on the positive aspects of this opportunity. I am a firm believer in the notion that everything happens for a reason and in divine timing. Though this was a forced quarantine, I’m choosing to view this as an opportunity to explore the positive aspects of this unfortunate happenstance. 

I think it is imperative at this time to realize that we are all connected. Society today has changed so drastically at such a rapid rate that human interaction and connection has decreased significantly due to how much time and energy most younger generations put into social media versus spending quality time with others.

Social media definitely has its perks. In fact, during this forced quarantine, now more than ever going digital is what allows us to maintain somewhat of a routine in the best way that we can This is an opportunity to slow down, check in with ourselves, loved ones, estranged friends, acquaintances and even strangers.

I find it to be incredibly refreshing to see that corporations are exercising empathy toward consumers that are experiencing financial hardship amongst all of this chaos and offering resources and flexibility that seems beyond comprehension. It is terrible to think that it took a nationwide tragedy to essentially wake up a huge majority of the population. However, I am remaining grateful for this opportunity to reflect, retreat and look within and examine how individually, we can work on being the best versions of ourselves and in turn contribute to the greater good of society.

Society has taught us to be selfish and put our oxygen mask on first, (which I am not in any way minimizing the importance of.) Yet, during this confusing and rapid time of change, I feel humanity is slowly redeeming itself. We are focused on taking care of those most vulnerable to being exposed and affected by the virus and doing what we can to provide others with resources, should they need them more than us, without neglecting our well being. Now, more than ever is the time for us to show unconditional kindness, selflessness, love and support to our fellow citizens.

The first thing about HUM that caught my attention and sets them apart from other product lines is their dedication to ensure each prospective customer has the most personalized experience possible. Initially, they provide a short quiz to determine what products would be most effective for your unique dietary needs. After completing that, you receive: a personalized nutrition report and access to a real RD nutritionist on their team in addition to ten dollars off your first order! Take the quiz here: https://www.humnutrition.com/get_started

The second quality that makes them stand out to me is the education and research behind each product. Major selling point for me is that a majority of their products are vegan. Additionally, every product is Non-GMO, sustainably sourced, pure and potent, premium quality and clinically proven.

I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to speak with several different doctors on day one of the research study. Speaking with the nutritionist and an MD specializing in dermatology really helped me understand what makes their products different. Sarah Greenfield, the nutritionist I met with is a functional medicine dietician who focuses on using advanced testing to determine the root causes of imbalances. She has a blog called “Fearless Fig,” I would highly recommend checking out. The first thing she mentioned was about struggling with digestive issues her entire life and how she made it her mission to educate and inform others about how to heal their gut. She provided an individualized meal plan and sent weekly recipes during the study. Check out a few of my favorite smoothie recipes below!

Unboxing and Reviews of 3 HUM Products

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

• Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
• Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

To help you get started, here are a few questions:

• Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
• What topics do you think you’ll write about?
• Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
• If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.