MHME 013: How To Take Care Of Yourself At Home During the Coronavirus Pandemic with The Merrymaker Sisters

It’s clear, we’re in the middle of a global crisis. With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic spreading worldwide, self-isolation and the disruption of daily routines are leading to stress and anxiety. 

In this show you’ll learn about:

• Why self-care should be front and center of your life right now
• How to take care of yourself physically, emotionally, mentally, cognitively, and socially

In today’s show, you will get practical information on how you can take care of yourself amidst the coronavirus epidemic.

News feeds are filled with negative reports and dismal stories about the selfishness and greed exhibited by people.

The current situation is both overwhelming and disheartening, especially to a lot of people who feel powerless at this time.

But you can cut through this cycle of fear and worry.

You may find yourself facing unfamiliar circumstances, but you have the chance to grow into this new world. You start by taking care of yourself.

Listen To The Podcast Now.

About Our Guests

Emma and Carla Papas are known as The Merrymaker Sisters. Their work involves finding love, integrity, and compassion during the journey to health and well-being. After quitting their desk jobs, Emma and Carla went on a journey of self-discovery to find magic and follow the bliss. 

They’re the founders of MerryBody Online Studio, which provides unlimited access to yoga, pilates, and meditation classes. Their website also gives free healthy recipes that nourish your body.

 

The Merrymaker Way of Life

The Sisters’ Journey To Self-Care

• Emma and Carla talk about their self-loathing, self-hate, and unhealthy relationship with food.

• Making the decision to follow their bliss.
• They took a break and got training for yoga and pilates.
• They started their MerryBody studio and changed their mindset to feeling good and letting go.

Acknowledging The Negative Feelings

• You have the right to feel the way you feel.
• Remember that you are not alone in this.
• Moving physically allows Emma and Carla to move through their emotions.
• Movement allows them to let go of the responsibility of carrying the world on their shoulders.

Moving Through This Bad Time

• The easiest thing to do is to constantly come back to the breath and breathe deeper.
• Falling into the anxiety and stress will allow you to find your anchor.
• Utilize the power of mediation.
• Dancing like a crazy person and going wild will help you from being stuck in your head. 

Breathing Exercises For Listeners

• The first step is a kind of grounding or sinking into your bodies for one minute.
• The grounding exercise involves using three breathing techniques.
• There’s usually resistance when starting out, so it’s best to pick one breathing technique and focus on that.
• It’s important to check in with yourself and always come back to your practice. 
• You can get so caught up in the news nowadays that you can forget to do what makes you feel okay.
• The experience of deep breathing fires neural signals up in your brain and triggers calmness.
• The disruption to your daily routines makes you more vulnerable to stress.
• Breathing exercises can help you reclaim some sense of power.
• The language in your head can be a pathway to doing self-care first aid to yourself.

Doing Self-Care

• Remember to always fill your cup, so you can give better to the people around.
• Practice yoga or pilates at home and eat nourishing food to take care of yourself. 
• Avoid dehydration by having a big bottle of water at your desk.
• Create a sense of safety by staying connected with family and friends through voice messages or video calls.
• Get creative and do the things you’ve always wanted to do but never had the time.
• Create bumpers around the information you digest to avoid exhaustion.

The Beginning Of A New Opportunity

• There is an opportunity to create something good for the community and practice altruism.
• Emma and Carla opened up MerryBody for free to get everyone moving while at home.

Recommended Resources

Articles:

 

• John O'Donohue - https://www.johnodonohue.com/ 

• The On Being Project had a wonderful interview with John O’Donhue. Here is a podcast with John prior to his passing.

 

 

• The fresh start effect: Temporal landmarks motivate aspirational behavior
  • Katherine Milkman

https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/abs/10.1287/mnsc.2014.1901

Books: 

 

• John O’Donohue books

• • Anam Cara: Spiritual Wisdom from the Celtic World https://amzn.to/3bey5Fq 

 

• • To Bless The Space Between Us https://amzn.to/3bey5Fq

 

You can reach out to the Merrymaker Sisters on Instagram or Facebook. New members get free access to MerryBody Online Studio 

 

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To better memory health, 

David

P.S. Did you get the free guide?  If not, here’s the link. 

Disclaimer: Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.