“Start by doing what’s necessary, then do what’s possible and suddenly, you are doing the impossible.” ~ Francis of Assisi, patron saint of Italy
The world has changed since the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. It has turned our lives upside down, however, we can create opportunities out of crises. We’ll get through this by being interconnected and as a result, become stronger. How can we get through this change occurring on all levels of our lives? Mindfulness.
Acknowledge your emotions of anger and sadness. Recognize it’s fine to grieve over a lost way of life to adopt the new, temporary normal of social distancing and stay-at-home policies. This too shall pass as it has over thousands of years when reviewing historical upheavals that have changed mankind.
It’s understandable to have a range of feelings that change from day to day. Share your feelings with the people you love because they’re probably feeling the same way you do. It’s good to chat about it, move on, and then, share stories of the good things happening in your life, too. In New York, for example, every day at 7pm, people clap in appreciation to honor the doctors and nurses and first responders. It’s amazing to see people hanging out of windows or on their terraces in skyscrapers waving, clapping, and yelling thank you in unison. Another way is to share videos, funny photos, songs on Social Media with the people who mean the most to you. We’re all in this together. Let’s continue helping each other out.
Acceptance of change is key. Once we accept this new, temporary normal, we take action and become empowered to do things we’ve never imagined we’d be doing prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. While all these changes are occurring, remember to be mindful, loving, caring, and compassionate for yourself and others. Here are some quick tips to aid in this process:
- Be compassionate: Have empathy for yourself and others
- Meditate: Tune into your inner core for peace of mind
- Exercise in nature: Bike, hike, walk while social distancing and breathing fresh air
- Learn something new: Keeps the mind active and healthy
- Be creative: Cooking, arts and crafts, scientific breakthroughs
- Stay connected: Helps everyone feel less isolated
- Relax: Have fun, trade jokes, dance to music, engage in virtual Happy Hours
- Take care of yourself: Dress up, style your hair, massage your neck and shoulders
There are many more ways to ease stress but this is a healthy start. Be safe, healthy, and happy. We’ve got this together.