Five tips for wedding wellness in times of uncertainty
Photo – Lovers Narrative
You’ve been planning this day since your proposal. You’ve been talking about it with your nearest and dearest. You’ve been saving all your money for the little details to make the day super special.
Now there is a virus.
It’s taking up every part of your conversations, thoughts and daily routines. Your wedding is in doubt, your plans are crushed and your heart feels like its breaking.
How on earth can you stay positive when the news is so negative? We’ve called on the expertise of Wellbeing Adviser, Amarra Bowkett, who has offered up five steps to keeping yourself in check and your mindset healthy throughout this challenging time.
Regain Control.
You can’t control what is happening around you, but you can control your response and therefore your mindset.
UNFOLLOW all of the news accounts in your social media feeds, listen to music through your streaming service and remove the news bookmarks on your internet browser. It’s important to stay across the news but only check in once a day so you don’t feel overwhelmed.
Practice Gratitude.
This, more than ever is so important. Be grateful to have someone to love and that person loves you in return. Be grateful for your health, the health of your family and for those who are around you. Show your gratitude to your vendors who are working around the clock to reschedule your plans or work within short timeframes to rework your wedding. Start this practice of gratitude from the very moment you wake up, this will start your day in a positive way.
Be Compassionate.
Not only to the vendors you have been working with but also towards yourself. We’re dealing with something greater than ourselves at the moment, but changing your wedding plans is a huge thing for you. Don’t beat yourself up about feeling crushed. It’s ok to feel like that. Be kind to yourself, comfort yourself and then move on to taking action. Also take a moment to be compassionate towards your vendors. Whilst they are doing everything they can to make this easy on you, behind the scenes their lives are falling apart too. They are having to tell people they no longer have jobs and they are wondering how long it will be until they work again, so be kind and compassionate towards them as well as yourself.
Be decisive.
The unknown constantly swirls around in your mind. The ‘what-if’s’ are never ending. The best thing you can do now, is to be decisive. Take control of your situation by making the tough call. Whether it’s cutting your guest list so your wedding can go ahead or postponing it – as hard as it seems, you’ll feel better once you’ve made the decision.
Stay connected.
We don’t know what the immediate future is going to look like, but it’s important to stay connected with yourself and your loved ones. If you find yourself working from home, start using FaceTime to connect in person. Create group chats with your work mates, friends and family, this will keep the conversations going throughout the day and will help you feel connected. Take breaks to connect with nature, either in your backyard, local park or botanical gardens. If you’ve got pets, take time to connect with them. Connection will keep you feeling upbeat and looking forward to what is yet to come.
Amarra Bowkett is a Wellbeing Advisor (from The Well State) who holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Wellness from the Health|Science Faculty of RMIT. If you would like to know more, head to her website www.thewellstate.com or follow her on Instagram @thewellstate.
For rolling updates on the COVID-19 impact on weddings – click here.
