How to deal with the impact of COVID-19 on our lives
I planned to write another blog post today. As I reflected more on the topics on my mind these days, I decided to talk about the latest changes in all our lives. When the year started, I had my plans for this quarter and I never expected to be here.
In this blog post, I will share my thoughts on life as it is today and how I am working on adjusting my perspective.
Have I ever been through an experience like this?
In my life, I have been through some scary experiences, but I am not sure I can compare them to this experience. Growing up in Nigeria, there were some unrests that led to total curfews and restrictions on resources. I remember two of those times distinctly. From what I remember, there was a lot of worry on the faces of adults around us. One thing was sure, the times came and passed. It took a long time for life to go back to normal, but it eventually did. Now fast-forward almost 20 years later, another crisis is impacting our lives greatly. The Coronavirus pandemic is affecting all of our lives significantly.
How can we avoid panic?
One of the things that I am noticing is that there is an excessive amount of news coverage on COVID-19. For me, because I have family around the world, I am very happy that I can keep track of things happening with them from so far away. However, I have found myself being slightly nervous around the spread of the disease, especially here in the US. If you follow the news, you know why. I really don't want fear to be a constant part of my life. It is tough but one thing that helps me is to remind myself of the good things that we have. My family and I are healthy, have a source of income and access to most of the resources we need. I am very grateful for that and do not take it for granted.
How can we take care of ourselves?
With all the chaos around us, it is crucial for us to prioritize self-care. I have been doing some research on the impact of a crisis on our mental health and physical well-being. If you are like me, you internalize a lot of the stress around you. I am being more intentional about acknowledging how I feel and then making changes to be healthy. Another thing that I am doing is accepting the change in our lives. Especially with work, a lot has changed. I am thankful for the flexibility I have and I'm taking advantage of the opportunities I have.
What responsibilities do we have for the people around us?
This past weekend, I was talking to my sister, who reminded me of the fact that she has to stay healthy to take care of her daughter. Not only does she have to think about herself or her health. but she is also responsible for another little human. In addition, I believe that generally we have to be compassionate and have empathy for others around us. We live in a society and are responsible for caring about each other.
How can we help each other?
At times like this, it is easy to get into your mind and think about ourselves the most. I am finding that when I care for other people, it makes me happier. I have been touched by people offering to help each other at these strange times. It reminds me a lot of growing up in Nigeria where we all cared for our family and neighbors. So, this is me offering my help to anyone who needs some support. There are different types of things we can help people do, ranging from conversations to sharing our knowledge. We all have something to offer.
Final Thoughts
There is so much going on in my mind these days. To help myself, here are some things that I am telling myself:
Knowing that this too will pass - like other experiences in life
Being positive helps make things much better
We all have a part to play in making the world a better place
Call to Action
Take care of yourself and the people around you.