
Strategies for Finding Peace
With stress related to the pandemic, social unrest, economic concerns, and natural disasters, the world's current events have challenged us all! We want you to know that CAPS is here to support you. CAPS services are for every University of Arizona student, including students of all races, genders, sexual orientations, political affiliation, ages, religions, abilities, and sizes. We welcome you.
Try these strategies:
- Mind Your Time & Energy
- Focus on What Really Matters
- Have Constructive Conversations
- Empower Yourself
- Create Little Moments of Peace
Mind Your Time & Energy
All of us are coping with multiple layers of stress, which can leave us feeling depleted. Mind your energy by being intentional about how you spend your time.
TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOURSELF
Practice good self-care to help maintain your resilience in stressful times. Sleep, nutrition, and enjoyable movement are a great place to start. Include leisure time and other activities that help you feel mentally, physically, and emotionally balanced in your daily routine.
SET BOUNDARIES WITH NEWS, MEDIA & POLITICS
- Set intentional time for media consumption, limit scrolling
- Filter feeds to positive content, limiting posts that may cause stress
- Read stories from trusted sources and be cautious of misinformation on social
- Avoid news right before bedtime
- Turn off notifications and avoid reading comments as needed
- Know when to engage and when to let it go.
- Accept that you may need to agree to disagree.
(adapted from @afspnational)
BE SELECTIVE ABOUT WHERE YOUR ENERGY GOES
Put your energy where it will make the biggest impact and have the most meaning in your life.
- Prioritize wellness
- Notice what drains you
- Focus on constructive conversations
- Take care of yourself after hard conversations
Focus on What Matters Most
FOCUS ON MEANING
Meaning is one of the building blocks to our well-being. So, focus on meaningful interactions, stay mindful of your interpretations of situations, and find ways to contribute to your community.
CLARIFY YOUR CORE VALUES
No matter what's going on around you, you can live a value-driven life by identifying your most important values and living in alignment with them. Consider what matters most to you in life. What is your personal vision for your life? What are the beliefs, ideals, ethics, or morals that make you who you are? Most importantly, how do you incorporate these values into your daily life?
KNOW YOUR STRENGTHS
Knowing your unique strengths can help you choose where to focus your energy, understand other people's perspectives, navigate challenging situations, and boost your overall resilience. There's no end to the unique combinations of strengths each of us possesses.
Have Constructive Conversations
It can be tricky to navigate conversations about politics with family and friends. Two people can have a very different inner experience of the same situation or issue, which can lead to misunderstandings and tension.
Tips for Making a Difficult Conversation Constructive:
- Don't debate if you're not in the right mental or emotional state.
- Avoid taking an "us vs. them" approach by staying mindful of personal comments and generalizations.
- Remain open to learning where another person's perspective comes from even if you don't agree.
- Remain aware of your personal triggers and what you can do to self-soothe.
- Decide whether a conversation is going to be meaningful or constructive.
- Pay attention to how you feel during the conversation, and take the steps you need to remain composed and decompress after if needed.
Empower Yourself
BE AN ENGAGED CITIZEN
Combat political stress with empowerment. Educate yourself on current political issues from fact-checked sources. Take action by calling your elected officials voting in elections.
HELP YOUR COMMUNITY
Everyone has the power to make the world a better place, starting right where they live.
NEVER STOP LEARNING
Being a lifelong learner is good for your well-being and can be a great way to cope with political stress. Take the time to check your facts, learn about the issues facing underrepresented groups, and stay informed about the candidates and their platforms.
Create Little Moments of Peace
Take your mind off the news and let everything be okay for just a minute by creating little moments of peace for yourself. Get outside and take a walk. Read a book. Practice a meditation. Call a friend. Doodle. Take a shower. Listen to an inspiring talk.
For more ideas, try these:
Fun & Relaxing Diversions
- Dance of Life Relaxing Celtic Music
- Fun Yoga Routine for Flexibility
- Happiness Frequency Meditation Music
- Live Music on TED
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Live Animal Cams
- NPR Tiny Desks Concerts
- Pandora Meditation Radio
- Tibetan Music for Stress Relief
- 30-Minute Feel Good Dance Cardio & Grooves Workout
- 60 YouTube Channels That Will Make You Smarter
Mindfulness Exercises & Meditations
- Guided Mindfulness Meditations
- Journaling for Mindfulness: 44 Prompts, Examples, and Exercises
- Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Exercises
- Mindfulness Exercise from the Mindful Ambassadors
- Self-Compassion Meditation with Tara Brach
- Self-Hypnosis and Guided Meditation with Michael Sealey
- Short Guided Meditation to Develop Your Inner Peace
- The Honest Guys Meditations
- Wellness Apps
- 22 Mindfulness Exercises, Techniques, and Activities (+ PDF's)
- 5-10-Minute Meditations