It seems like we can talk of little else these days: Coronavirus/COVID-19 has created a public health crisis, creating a sense of fear, uncertainty, and stress in our world. Now that many of us are largely home-bound for the next few weeks, how are we to go about our daily lives? With the public health crisis of COVID-19 looming like a dark cloud in our consciousness, we are feeling ungrounded and worried, unsure of what is coming next. My blog post yesterday spoke about how we can help our nervous systems regulate during times of stress; check it out if you haven’t yet.
I was reflecting this morning on the motto of our local elementary school, which reads “Be safe, be kind, be ready to learn!” An excellent school motto, to be certain, but I believe that it can also offer guidance as we face the societal and individual changes that have already begun to take place as a result of COVID-19.
“Be Safe” - You probably don’t need another person telling you to be safe during this time, but just in case: Practice social distancing! Wash your hands thoroughly! Minimize likelihood of exposure, both for yourself and for others.
“Be Kind” - We have seen examples of people doing this well, and of people taking the opposite tack during this stressful time. Being kind can look like:
Sharing your stash of toilet paper with someone who has run out
Calling a friend or acquaintance to check in on how they are doing
Being compassionate towards yourself and others when they are feeling stressed or anxious, or are acting out in other ways
Offering a smile to a neighbor or someone you are interacting with while running a necessary errand
“Be Ready to Learn” - This last idea intrigues me the most, because I truly believe that we can learn something from any situation. By no means do I ascribe to the idea that “everything happens for a reason,” to be sure, this outbreak is extremely serious and will continue to cause illness, death, and stressful life impacts for many. Challenging situations, however, have a powerful way of clarifying priorities, bringing people closer together, and teaching us new things about ourselves and the world around us. Whether you’re on the front lines of the response as a healthcare provider or first responder, or someone who is house-bound for the foreseeable future, what can you learn? What deeply ingrained habits or priorities might shift as a result of what is going on in our world? Some thoughts:
Phone/technology use - Is it causing increased anxiety due to compulsive news checking? Or are you using it to stay appropriately informed and stay connected with loved ones? How might your habits need to shift?
Life priorities - I’ve found myself whiting out many activities and commitments in my planner, and frankly, that has felt really good! I tend to overcommit, cramming my schedule with (often good, fun, important) activities, but the next few weeks are forcing me to drastically slow my life. I’m looking forward to how this might bring positive change to my sense of “busyness,” my relationships, and my framework for what is essential to living a full and compassionate life. At the risk of sounding morbid, the prospect of illness and death also has a way of reframing what is truly essential.
Listening to others and yourself - I challenge you to spend time really listening to others’ experiences during this time. How are they feeling? What do they need? What is important to them? And don’t forget to extend yourself this same kindness. If you are feeling overwhelmed or fearful, talk to a friend or a professional. Nourish yourself with some home-cooked food, a long bath, reading a favorite book, or whatever else will help you come back home to yourself.
Wishing all of you good health. Be safe, be kind, be ready to learn!