This is a tricky one! How to cope with COVID-19?
Some of you are living through one of the most stressful times in our lives. This virus added maybe to a mammo exam that you’ll need to undergo, or maybe waiting for some results…
Some of us will think that we’ve been through worse, currently fighting against breast cancer or survived. We might believe we’re already a superhero and nothing can happen to us again. This can be a dangerous trap and reason for neglecting your doctor’s recommendations as well as government communications with regards to protection and confinements.
Truth is, whoever we are, whatever we’ve experienced, this is a new enemy and we should not neglect it. It’s a new challenge but we can make it, break the chain!
Because we know that some of you might be facing multiple fights these days or are very busy in protecting yourselves and your loved ones, we wanted to reach out and provide some precious advice during this period.
Advice that goes beyond borders and people, meant to show that you’re not alone and that there’s always something positive to find and true values to remember about.
- The most powerful barrier is hand washing, and you’re already doing that, right?! You might want to increase the time and adapt the ideal gestures that we skip in normal times…check out guides on how to wash your hand as a pro!
- Gather your loved ones. Reach out to your family and friends however you can. Technology is wonderful and video visits can help with that feeling of being disconnected. How about playing an online game together? Stay positive and lift each other’s mindsets. Make plans for great stuff you’ll do once you can get together again physically.
- Focus on what you can control, not on what you can’t which is generally the most natural and spontaneous reaction. Time to reprogram our minds. As someone once said, “We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.” That means acting with kindness towards others; assuaging fears with facts; taking a break from the 24/7 news; and helping others who may not be able to leave their homes to obtain groceries or other essentials whilst keeping security recommendations and distance in mind.
- Set a goal. You have probably never spent so much time in your home before. Even if you’re working at home you still have extra time on your hands (no commuting, eating out, shopping, movies, or going to friends’ houses makes for a lot of extra time!). So set a goal of something to complete by the end of all this. Finish a huge puzzle? Learn a new language? Read War and Peace? Learn to knit (order supplies online)?
- Stay busy. Some ideas beyond streaming movies and shows:
- Write letters to people you love. The mail is still going out.
- Start a journal. Writing down your thoughts is very stress relieving.
- Declutter your house. There is something incredibly soothing about getting rid of stuff and creating space in your environment.
- Order a coloring book and gel pens and go at it.
- Cook a new recipe every night.
- Visit famous museums that are releasing virtual tours
- Our jazz, pop and rock stars are posting new musical videos…
- Exercise. Every gym in the world right now is posting online workouts you can do in your home with no special equipment. No matter what kind of shape you’re in, simply getting your body moving will help with stress, not to mention strengthen your immune system. If you can, go for a run or walk every day – just stay away from people and be strict on protecting yourself and the others. Keep a distance apart in whatever you do and wherever you are in line with local recommendations.
- Control your thoughts. It’s so easy to let the “what ifs” get out of control. When you hear yourself doing that, or the scenarios in your head get to be too much, just stop. Take a deep breath. Envision yourself erasing your mind like a wet cloth erasing a white board. Then start over. There are great meditation apps and Podcasts to help you in this exercise. If you have never tried it before, please do, it’s the best advice we can give you. It will benefit your soul, mind, sleep and health.
You can counter those “what ifs” with “what are.” “What if the grocery stores run out of food?” turns into, “The grocery stores are remaining open and constantly restocking their shelves.” “What if this never ends?” becomes “It has already ended in other countries; it will end here.” “What if I get sick?” becomes “I might get sick, but I hear as well around me that most of the patients have a very mild case.”
You should know by now if you’re a high-risk person or not, so you need to trust and adopt recommendations you receive via official social media. There is a lot of fake news on social media, so keep your focus on official media channels and recommendations.
We promise, this will end. And we will all be stronger, realize a certain number of things, forgive and forget stories that by fact will become irrelevant.
We will be looking forward to the day we’ll be able to give a great hug and kiss to each other!
Stay healthy, connected, respectful and caring.
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