She may live in a beautiful house in California, but that doesn’t mean Patsy Palmer is immune from the stress and anxiety that COVID-19 has brought on all of us.
The former EastEnders actor has admitted that at times, like most of us, she’s felt ‘overwhelmed’ and ‘scared’.
But rather than let negative thoughts consume her, Patsy, who is mum to Charley, Fenton, Emilia and Bertie, has decided to focus on the positives, with the help of daily meditation.
Now, Patsy has managed to de-stress and focus on what really matters – her family.
Big changes
Sharing her struggles on Instagram, Patsy, 47, posted, ‘Yesterday I became very overwhelmed whilst having dinner. I didn’t say anything because my little boy was sitting there and like any of us, we want to keep happy so that the kids do not become scared at this time.
‘I felt a great loss of little things. I’m a social butterfly – I like speaking to people, I enjoy coffee in the morning, I like getting out even for a little while. I love hugging, I love groups of friends laughing and dancing.’
A few days later, seemingly more upbeat, she revealed, ‘Today was strange coming to terms with all this. Everything about it was magical.
‘Having my family safe with me, being able to get outside into open space, walking on the beach [by her house], still my head is spinning most of the time. Still at times [I’m] overwhelmed with it.’
A new mindset
While there’s no questioning this is a tough time for everyone, Patsy is now trying to focus on gratitude.
‘As these days go by I question all kinds of things about myself,’ she revealed on the social media platform. ‘My emotions, my parenting, my ability to just be.’
But shifting her mindset, she added, ‘Music, meditation, dancing and smiling more are always on my gratitude list. ‘Now I choose hope, we have nothing to lose at this time only our minds. There is always a different way to think. I’m trying to keep happy. I love my life and we are now all in this together.’
Something that Patsy is enjoying during this time is appreciating her home life. As well as sharing snaps of her husband, Richard, and children, she also posted a picture of a tree outside her bedroom window and wrote, ‘The tree in my garden has been stripped back to its original state – I can see the moon where the leaves used to be.
‘It’s so simple and so beautiful and I’m so grateful for it.’
Family first
Spending time with loved ones is something that Patsy is cherishing at the moment. She posted, ‘Always more to be grateful for. Woke up at home with my family. Enough.’
Though it doesn’t come without its challenges. Speaking about her youngest son, nine-year-old Bertie, she said, ‘It’s so weird that Bertie has no one to be silly with. I feel for all the parents out there.
‘Yes, we are lucky – some kids don’t even have the luxury of school, let alone computers, but it’s a hard thing to adjust to for everyone.’
Family is all the more special to Patsy because less than a year after giving birth to Bertie she tragically suffered a miscarriage, which nearly brought on a bout of depression.
She previously admitted, ‘My mum recognised the symptoms. She said the light had gone out of my eyes.
‘I’ve suffered with depression before. I told myself to be brave and to be grateful for what I’ve got – four amazing children. I know how lucky I am. My family are the light of my life.’
Meditation matters
Encouraging others to use meditation to help maintain a positive mindset, Patsy also revealed on Instagram how life-changing the practice has been for her.
She declared: ‘Don’t underestimate the power of meditation. The other news is if you practise enough you can create your new life after this lockdown. What have you got to lose?
‘Sit quietly, close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and enjoy pretending for a while.’ She added, ‘I began using meditation through a tough time in my life.‘As much as we know what is happening in the world right now, we have to try to go into meditation to imagine better days.’
Well said, Patsy.
