How’s everybody doing these days? Hmmm…yeah, me too. It’s certainly been strange, and I’m not sure what’s worse, the emotional impact of a virus that scares us to death, or dealing with the panic at the grocery stores, social distancing, and avoiding touching anything and everything, including ourselves.
In our household, we’ve been preparing for a potential lock down, however that doesn’t mitigate the stress and fear and endless conversations we’ve had about going out for now: “Are you going to the gym today?” “Do you have any appointments today?” “What are you doing today?” “Where are you going today?” “Are you wiping down everything?” Personally, it’s exhausting. I wipe down the entire inside of my car every time I come home. Wash my hands then wipe down frequently used things like light switches, the refrigerator door handles, doorknobs, etc…I’m not a person who adapts easily to change. I’m trying to remain positive, but there’s not much to be positive about in the media these days. Granted these changes seem overwhelming, and confusing, this in turn leads to stress, depression, anxiety, a kind of a no way out mentality.
At the end of this crisis we all want to come out of it in a better place. And I believe we will see the other side of this if we all cooperate. The human spirit needs to be revitalized. So how do we cope with changes that are out of our control?
According to some research a lot of it has to do with how resilient we are. That means our thought patterns, and our view of the past. We can ask ourselves, What got us through the crisis (fill in the blank) in the past, and what will see us through the current changes? Are we being mindful? Are we taking time to breathe, deeply and become aware of our surroundings? (They should be fresh and clean given all the disinfecting we’ve been doing! But, I digress)
Keeping to a routine as much as possible helps us to keep our balance. Exercise and eating healthy are beneficial as well. I’ve been researching and downloading all kinds of apps from grocery shopping to YouTube videos that feature exercise routines you can do at home. Which looks like I will most likely be doing in the next two weeks. Take advantage of our digital world! There’s tons to distract us.
Now is a the time to prioritize. We can view this current change in our circumstances as an opportunity. Where do you want to spend your time right now? What have you been spending wasting your time doing?
Although social distancing is a term we are becoming all too familiar with, that doesn’t mean we give up our friends and family. Draw closer to those we hold dear. We can talk via text, or phone call, or some kind of video chat app. I’m learning how to Zoom. Not sure how that will go…but change is inevitable. Learning how to adapt is a part of life and truly if we are to survive with our kindness, our charity, our love, intact becoming adaptable is key.
So, if there is a nationwide lock down, I’m going to get up, get clean, get dressed, put my make up on and do my thing, only that thing has to be within the walls of my own home and my back yard. : )
The Psychology of Dealing With Change
Children Need to Learn–How to Be Resilient
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April Voytko Kempler is the author of The Altered I: Memoir of Holocaust Survivor Joseph Kempler available on Amazon in print and ebook and Barnes and Noble in print format
April Voytko Kempler's Blog - Reno Gal Says 