Tiny Habits When You’re in the Grip of Uncertainty and Fear
Taking charge and being in control gives us the sense of security we depend on, but COVID-19 has thrown us under the bus. This page includes three key ways the Tiny Habits® behavior change method can help you regain a sense of agency and empowerment.
““Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms - to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.””
Download our ACTION GUIDE:
What to Do When You’re in the Grip of Uncertainty and Fear - 52 Easy Things that Will Build Your Sense of Agency and Empowerment
QUESTIon: When the world seems to be spiraling into chaos and you feel a total lack of control, what can you do?
Answer: Shift your focus from lacking control to exercising choice.
Today there are a lot of things you can’t control, but you can choose what you think, feel, and do.
Build your sense of agency and empowerment by exercising choice in these three main domains of your life using Tiny Habits:
Psychological
A lot of people are suffering from high anxiety right now. One way that anxiety shoots up is when we get consumed with “what if” thinking.
Instead of falling into a trap of runaway anxious “what if” thoughts, follow “what if” with “then what” as in “Then what I can and will do.”
Here are some psychological Tiny Habit recipes to help:
After I open my eyes, I will name one thing I can do to make myself feel good.
After I look in the bathroom mirror, I say to myself, “I am capable and I can manage.”
After I put my PJs under my pillow, I say to myself, “Just one of many good things I can do today to keep on course.”
After I catch myself thinking “I can’t do this,” I will name one thing I can do.
After I pour water into my coffee filter, I will glance at all the coffee mugs and choose the one that speaks to me at the moment.
After I open the front door to get the newspaper, I will look at the sky and say “good morning, sky!”
After I read the paper, I will put in the recycling so I don’t see the headlines staring me in the face all day.
2. Behavioral
It’s easy to get off track when our lives have been turned upside down. That’s why it’s important to explore new ways to maintain important routines, do things that are meaningful to you, and keep your sense of who you are and what you stand for.
Here are some behavioral Tiny Habit recipes to help:
After I put my kids to bed, I will sit quietly and name 2 things I did that make me proud of how I’m taking care of them.
After I sit down in my easy chair, I choose just one news broadcast to watch for the day.
After I sit down to drink my morning coffee, I will write down 3 personal things I accomplished in the morning.
After I watch a short news update, I will do 2 jumping jacks.
After I finish lunch and wash my last dish, I will pick up my knitting and knit one row using a new stitch.
After I enter my computer password, I will take two deep breaths and relax my shoulders as the computer logs itself on.
After I finish lunch and wash my last dish, I will put on my shoes for a walk outside.
3. Social
Social distance doesn’t mean social isolation. Realize that you can stay physically distant but remain socially connected. In fact, if you’re like a lot of people, you may have more time in their day. So, choose ways not only to safely connect with others, but even strengthen your relationships.
Here are some social Tiny Habit recipes to help:
After I turn on the stove for hot water, I will call my son to say good morning.
After I hear my mom answer the phone, I will ask her to tell me a story about vacations she took with my dad.
After I hear my son answer the phone, I will ask him to tell me something cute that my grandchildren did that day.
After I turn off my computer at the end of my work day, I will call one friend just to say, “hi.”
After I get on my stationary bike, I WhatsApp to my husband who is stuck in a different city.
After I take my last bite of dinner, I will call someone in my town who is managing a phone tree to see if he needs any help with calls.
After I hear a friend or family member start to go down the rabbit hole of COVID-19 stories, I will interrupt with kindness and say, “Some things we can’t control, so let’s talk about things we can do right now together that could be fun and/or interesting, like doing a word game.”
Final words
Now is a great time to use your imagination and creativity to experiment with new ways to think about things, new ideas to try out, and new ways to make meaningful connections with others.
Download our ACTION GUIDE:
What to Do When You’re in the Grip of Uncertainty and Fear - 52 Easy Things that Will Build Your Sense of Agency and Empowerment
Watch Be Your Own Best Coach instructors Deborah Teplow and Glen Lubbert present Tiny Habits When You’re in the Grip of Uncertainty and Fear.
Although the Covid-19 pandemic has upended seemingly everything, the science-based systems, methods, tools, and techniques that worked before still apply in today’s new normal. And, they can be tailored exactly right for you so you can make successful change stick.
That’s what our 5-week premier group coaching program, Be Your Own Best Coach, is all about: giving you everything you need to put together your own personalized plan for change . . . and ultimately, for doing a lot more than just surviving, but truly thriving.
Additional Resources & References:
Man's Search for Meaning - Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl's memoir about life in Nazi death camps and its lessons for spiritual survival.
WoopMyLife - an easy-to-learn mental strategy that brings you closer to your desires and turns dreams into achievable goals.
Video: Admiral William H. McRaven - “If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.”
Talking to Children About Covid-19 (National Association of School Psychologist – What to say, how to say it, and what points to emphasize to children in different age groups.
Coping with Stress During Infectious Disease Outbreaks – from the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Common signs of stress and how to recognize when to get help.
Inspirational quotes to get us through the coronavirus shutdown – from CNN’s Wisdom Project, which offers “the wisdom and philosophy found everywhere, from ancient texts to pop culture.”
What to Watch, Read and Listen To During Your Coronavirus Self-Quarantine – New York Times list of resources to distract, entertain, and uplift.