This includes the way you feel about yourself and your ability to manage your feelings and deal with difficulties. This means you have tools for coping with difficult situations and maintaining a positive outlook.

Being emotionally healthy means having a sense of contentment, good self-esteem, zest for living and the ability to adapt to change and have fun. It is often our negative beliefs that keep unhealthy patterns in place.

• Later I’ll suggest a resource for creating a Rule of Life. One crucial aspect of this is Practicing a Sabbath, reflect on this resource and start to implement it in this season.

• There are so many hobbies that go undiscovered because they take time and practice. From photography and other artistic skills, to how to organize your home and fix stuff around your home, start to look into practicing these things and what you can teach yourself via Youtube!

• There are also so many opportunities for continuing education both formally and informally through online courses and podcasts, given any topic you may find interesting. I’m sure you can find something! Check out Open Yale, MIT Open Courseware, The Great Courses, Academic Earth, Udacity (tech training), EdX, Coursera, Classy (Non-Profit Professionals) and TED.

• Take an online course on Christian missions through the Center for World Missions’ Perspectives Course, which I took a few years back. It gives a biblical and historical context for and future look at where missions is headed!

• Keep a gratitude journal (even just writing for five minutes a day to start this).

• If you’re triggered by anxiety grab as much chewing gum as you can and chew- it helps get you out of your “trauma brain”.

• One of the best ways to utilize this time is to process for yourself. Check out The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry. I would highly suggest using this time to create a Rule (or Rhythm) of Life for yourself—something to use in this season, and incorporate into the next.

• Spend some time to check in with yourself. What stage of life are you really in and where do you want to be headed? What areas do you want to grow in, and what are some resources to help get you there? A good place to start in your time of reflection is this series by Practicing the Way, which goes over theories of development, attachment, The Enneagram, Spiritual Life Inventory and more.

• There are many (and I’m sure they will only increase in this time) online resources for therapy services, check out: Better Help

• Seek to be fully present in your one on ones- if you aren’t connecting- be honest, and find a local contact, or consistently skype with a safe person from back home- the goal is to process life on a regular basis

• Don’t let negative thoughts spiral around in your head (get them out - write them out; verbally process; cry - don’t let them stay in inside) — to learn more about Rumination, watch this video

• Learn more about Resiliency through this podcast

• Learn to say no when you need to say no

• Have a home transitional ritual (routines for when you get home to help get calm)

• (If you have internet) Write a blog and process life as it happens

• Do photography or art that taps into your creative energies (you may need to pack items to facilitate this)

• Experiment with cooking a local, cultural food (or just make pizza :) )

• Listen to your gut and your inner truth- listen to what your body is telling you it needs

• Stand up for yourself and set boundaries

• Have a technology fast- (days of week you don’t open computer or go on social media; set rules for times of day you close your computer and phone-nothing after 9pm etc)

• Light a candle and read a good book

• Take a mental health day - ask yourself what does your soul/body need and do only those things that day

• Listen to an audio guided meditation for to worship music (Alberto and Kimberly Rivera are great for this)

• Do a staycation with your favorite movies, foods, and board games- lock yourself away from the world!

• Set aside 30 minutes at the beginning of the week to write out what you hope to accomplish - (celebrate if you’re able to mark even half of those off your to do list)

• Tell yourself you’re doing a great job

• Clean the house or work on a project you’ve been meaning to, to feel accomplished

• Do one task at a time- be fully present while you are doing so instead of multi-tasking

• Understand what your triggers are and come up with coping strategies

• Write out 30 things you love about yourself

• Have a dance party in your kitchen

• Go on an adventure! (Visit cool tourist or nature sites in your region and remember why you love the place, go camping, etc)

• Reading and Podcasts

• Having goals + dreams

• Seeking clarity, reevaluating, and having flexibility with life rhythms 

• Counseling + Debriefing of seasons + spending time with mentor(s)

• Creating a posture of teachability

• Assess your comparison with other people- this kills your joy

• How to Help Someone Dealing with Anxiety

• Tips for Social Media and Emotional Health— unfollow people