Worries and concerns, about the changes we are facing due to this pandemic, are natural and very common. As people we know get sick (and sometimes pass), along with the loss of jobs, savings accounts, investments, livelihoods & careers, it is understandable that all of these changes and uncertainties can make many of us feel different levels of stress and anxiety.
So what can we do to keep ourselves from getting overwhelmed by these trying times? There is nothing we can do to change what is going on, however, we can choose what to think and believe about it. In other words, we can control the way in which see and deal with the situation.
This is determined by the thoughts we choose to believe about the situation. If we let fear grip us, we are likely to act in ways that promote it. Taking action to protect & prepare ourselves as much as possible, is not only prudent but also wise, and can be done with level headedness, kindness, and compassion. Hoarding, and taking advantage of others, only promotes division, isolation, and increased chaos in an already difficult situation. It can be hard to strike a balance between taking care of ourselves and not letting that survival instinct make us forget about the greater good, but kindness & compassion is what helps you maintain some semblance of peace, and promote an understanding within yourself that we will all get through this if we all work together.
Try to see and utilize this pandemic as an opportunity to help you focus on what really matters. What do you truly value? If you had previously put too much emphasis on the physical, let this situation help you re-focus and find balance in your life. Values such as: healthy relationships, kindness, servitude, compassion, empathy, etc. help you to stay grounded in ideals that reduce stress & anxiety. Remember, “This too will pass” but how we handle ourselves, while it is happening, will effect our experience of it, and our relationships with those around us.