Being physically distant from other people has a significant impact on our emotional well-being. The recent "lockdown"  has created a great deal of uncertainty and anxiety for many people of all ages. 
Our normal daily routine is disrupted and the idea of being homebound for such a long time can be daunting and overwhelming. People living alone could feel very lonely during this time. Yet this could also be a time to connect emotionally with significant people in your life.  

Below are a few simple ways to do so:
-If you are alone in your home during  phone or chat via whatsapp with someone daily, Having a pet with you an also help to feel less alone.
-If you have children connect with them emotionally through playing, play board games, do arts and crafts, paint, create artworks with clay. Playing with children can also help parents to relax and destress.
-Make sure you do fun activities in your home and use humour.
-Do calming exercises with other people in your home daily such as stretching, listening to calming music, and breathing in a rhythm.
-Journalling or writing about your emotions is a great way to reflect on your own emotions and process. 
-It could also help to have a daily routine in place otherwise the days could feel very long. A reset day during this time every now and then could also help you to cope. Please click on the link below to read about how to structure a reset day.
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Many of us are led to believe that creativity is only for artists, poets, writers and performers.....When in actual fact creativity is needed in various other areas of society. Creativity links strongly to problem solving skills. The ability to engage in problem solving is situated in the frontal lobe of the brain. Some of the other areas that are also associated with this brain region is divergent thinking, flexibility, self-monitoring and personality. To read up more about the frontal lobe click here. Innovative ideas or creative solutions is important for the workplace, parenting, social issues in communities, teaching, education, science, and engineering, to name a few. 

The context where you do brainstorming to foster creative ideas is a crucial component of this unique process. For many people it is difficult to come up with creative ideas in their open plan office space, but when they find themselves in a funky coffee shop/sit in nature the ideas and dreams seems to flow easily. The English social psychologist  Graham Wallas, came up with a wonderful theory "The Art of Thought", which describes 4 stages of the creative process practically. The first stage is preparation, this is where the problem at hand is investigated. The second stage is incubation, where unconscious processing of the problem occurs. The third stage is illumination; when the train of associations start to link up and this could lead to a "flash of insight".  The fourth stage is verification, during this stage the validity of the idea/the possible solution is tested. You can read up more about theses stages when you  /click here

Creativity is also about self-expression and through this process your unique voice can be heart and disclosed. This process could enhance your sense of self-awareness and foster personal growth. Visionary leaders could benefit from the ability to think creatively, especially when feeling stuck and lacking progress or development in their context. The problem solving process could lead to character development as endurance, preservation and determination is often necessary to reach the end goal and to implement and maintain the creative ideas.

One of the essential values is that - It teaches us courage.

Please note that all information provided by yourself would be confidential.

All of us have a relationship with food. For some of us the relationship  seems to be a nurturing one, where eating sooth us emotionally. For others  the relationship with food is a very restricted one, where food intake is monitored constantly and this seems to go hand in hand with high levels of anxiety, stress and guilt. For some eating is a crucial coping mechanism, such as having a chocolate to feel better after a break-up or a way of mending relationships through saying sorry with something sweet. Food is an important component of building relationships with significant others through sharing a meal, or cooking together as a family or as friends.

According to experts such as Patrick Holford, a London, England–based nutritionist  and Dr. Dhawan; certain foods influence our emotions.  Dr. Dhawan indicates that food affects our metabolism, hormones and neurotransmitters which impacts our energy levels, ability to concentrate and how we feel. Holford noted that omega-3 fatty acids in fish and avocado oils may relieve or help protect individuals against depression. Further research has shown that vitamin D deficiency can cause low moods; and oily fish is high in vitamin D. If your low mood  persists and you find it extremely difficult to cope you might need to visit a health professional to support you in this regard.

During this holiday season it might be worthwhile to pay some attention to your relationship with food, to increase your self-awareness and nurture your emotions, so that you will have enough emotional capacity to deal with what lies ahead in 2016.

The emotional connections or attachments formed between parents/caregivers and their child will have a significant impact on a child's emotional development. It is important for children to form secure attachments (strong emotional connections) with their parents/caregivers. Parents can do a great deal to encourage emotional connections with their child. Below are a brief description of five interventions that can encourage your emotional connection with your child:
 
1. It is very important to be affectionate towards your child. Parents have an important role in helping children understand their own and other people's emotions. As a parent/caregiver you can describe emotions to your child and teach them how to express their own emotions. To gently touch/hug your child shows warmth and physical affection. If your child has been diagnosed with Autism, Asperger's Syndrome, Reactive Attachment Disorder or if your child are Sensory sensitive, physical touch and emotional connections could be challenging.

2.Your child seeks and needs to know that they have  a sense of safety and security.  Children experience a sense of security if you as a parent consistently tend to their physical and emotional needs.  It is crucial for parents to set appropriate limits or boundaries for children and to adhere to the set limits as this consistency and structure can create a safe space. It will be in your  child's best interest if both parents set similar limits, otherwise a child could experience confusion and they could become more anxious and fearful.

3. Parents need to model to children how to be warm and affectionate towards other people. If your child displays inappropriate interaction with others, intervene immediately and teach your child how to engage in an appropriate manner with other people.

4.Teach your child how to effectively communicate their needs and be sure to listen and pay attention to the needs your child communicates. Children need to be taught how to ask for help when needed, and they need to know  who they can go to for help in their various contexts. Such as telling your child if they experience difficulties at school they need to speak to their teacher. 

5. Do special activities with your child on a regular basis, especially activities you know your child enjoys. If you engage in special activities with your child this shows your child that you care and value them and this could enhance your child's self-esteem. Spending time with your child strengthens your emotional connection. This provides an opportunity for you as a parent to invest emotionally in the well-being of your child.

The above mentioned are only basic guidelines, it is still important to consider the unique temperament of your child. Make sure you as parents are accessible to your children to further the emotional understanding that you have of your child.