Feeling rudderless in the wake of Covid-19
By Duane Hewitt
COVID-19 has left many people feeling rudderless. Job loss, financial problems, relationship break-up and divorce, violence – including domestic violence, daily reports of new spikes in Covid-related cases, business closures, seeing a toppling effect of services we once took for granted, upsurges in stress, anxiety, depression, and a wide array of both physical and mental challenges galore.
People are feeling stressed to the max. We wonder: What will happen to me and my loved ones? What’s next? How does one deal with the uncertainty – and the stress – caused by Covid?
Part of the solution lies in minimizing the worrisome and often negative onslaught of news while capitalizing on reasons for hope and belief in a positive future. So begin by limiting the bombardment of news you may be experiencing: not just Covid-related news, but all the negative news the world over concerning floods and wildfires and heatwaves and riots and crime and so forth. There’s very little benefit to saturating oneself with so much news. Limit your news exposure, particularly when it’s negative.
Next, start concentrating on the positives in your life. Despite the challenges you may be facing, there will be positives that you may not have taken the time to appreciate. This might include family and friends, good health, hobbies and interests, and plans for the future.
And on the topic of the future, plans can be both big and small. So if you haven’t already done it, start visualizing good things for yourself. Then see if you can find a way to initiate some means by which you might accomplish these goals. Such plans can be major or they can be intimately personal; things that are special and important to you and that give you a sense of well-being and accomplishment. As well, when making and pursuing such ideas, try to plan so that, if more changes happen in your world, you still have something wholesome and positive to pursue.
One of the things we all need to be watchful for is that we don’t over isolate ourselves. People are social beings and it does us well to have others we can speak and share with. Talking circles and discussion groups might not be such a bad idea during a time like this, we just have to be vigilant about health protocols. Perhaps it’ll all come down to texting and online chats. Whatever, but you get the idea. We all need to integrate and share; to have a voice to speak with and an ear with which to listen. It’s healthy and good things can come from such talks.
Ultimately, by focusing on the positives, minimizing the negatives, and staying proactive, we may find ourselves evolving and maturing. Adaptability is in our nature. We just need to create the right mindset and focus on doing good things while accepting life will always have its ups-and-downs, its uncertainties, and its challenges.
Copyright 2020 Duane Hewitt. All rights reserved.
