In life, we often find ourselves in many situations that slip out of our hands and are completely out of our control. In these moments, we can easily start to feel hopeless and lose our patience instead of keeping calm. Right now, we are experiencing a hectic situation that is having worldwide ramifications which is the pandemic known as Covid-19, the coronavirus. We are concerned about our communities, our loved ones, and ourselves. You may find yourself waiting endless hours in a hospital waiting room or waiting for the results of a medical exam, and the dread and impatience are weighing heavily upon you. Alternatively, if you have not been directly affected by the virus, you may feel desperate for this to end and you want to get on with your life as usual as soon as possible.
In times like these, it is important to try to keep calm and not lose sight of reason. It is of no use to worry too much because the only thing you will achieve is that you’ll feel more overwhelmed and you will not be able to analyze the situation in a sensible manner. In a situation like this, it is important to think about how our actions can affect our community in the fight against the crisis. We can decide to feel frustrated because our routines or plans have been interrupted or we can decide to focus on the greater good. Even if you don’t feel at risk, think about those who are most vulnerable and what you can do to minimize the risks for them.
If you are working from home or in quarantine, you must stay calm above all else and take care of yourself as much as you can and use all the resources we have at our disposal. Take advantage of this time to spend time with your loved ones in your home, and if your loved ones are far away, call or write to them, but most importantly, stay in touch. Make a schedule to differentiate rest time from work time. Wash your hands, eat healthy foods, and take care of your mental health. Stay active as much as possible by taking walks around your house or doing stretching exercises, but most importantly, stay at home. Sometimes, days, weeks or even months go by and we must continue to wait for something to be resolved and everything to return to normal. Now is the time to develop patience and to learn to handle complicated situations in a calm fashion and using good sense.
