ST. LOUIS — More than ever, it's so important to have a healthy, happy, home as we're all spending a lot more time with our family and loved ones.
However, it comes at a time when we’re simultaneously under an extreme amount of stress.
Relationship Coach Mika Ross said the most important thing for couples and families is to accept that it’s OK to not be OK. Allowing yourself to ugly cry or have a breakdown is part of the grieving process and many of us have lost a lot in this pandemic.
"Give yourself a moment in your bedroom or a moment with a person that you're very close with to have those feelings, to have the breakdown, to have the panic, to feel all of that," Ross said. "It allows your body to physiologically move through it and you’re going to get to solutions and resolutions quicker.”
By acknowledging that heightened emotion that you’re feeling, Ross said you're less likely to blow up at the people closest to you and also not take things personally.
She recommends we schedule a time every day to check in with our spouses and kids. Simply asking, ‘are you okay?’ or ‘what can we do differently tomorrow?’ will lead to solutions in our new environment together.
She said it’s also imperative to give yourself breaks. Just like children need playtime, adults need that time to themselves as well.
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