We already have so many posts about Covid 19. But it seems that the situation will not be alleviated real soon. Situations are getting worse again after we thought that the roll out of vaccines worldwide would finally address the world worst health and economic condition. We all thought and hope that things would now slowly go back to normal. Then comes, the Alpha variant (UK), then the Beta (South Africa), then the Gamma (Japan and Brazil), then the Delta variant (India) and now Mu. And who knows what other variants would emerge. What happens after all the Greek alphabet has been exhausted to name every variant?
These are all taking a toll in our sanity. We worry about our loved ones. We worry about ourselves getting the virus and how our body would react to it. We thought of how effective our vaccine to the other emerging variants is. Our concerns are not searchable. Google has no immediate answers to our queries. We get information from the news which most of the times contains scary and negative information about what is going on. The current study and research of the CDC and World Health Organization cannot cope up with every change and mutation of the virus. It is mind-boggling.
The way to survive this pandemic is not just being able to ward off the virus or our bodies being able to withstand its virulent effect on us but also to be keep a positive mental health despite all the things that is going on around us, around our workplaces and around the world.
Be grateful
Being thankful first thing in the morning is starting your day on a positive note. Just being alive and breathing is something we should be grateful for. That and the many other things we should acknowledge and express our gratitude for. Two years since the onset of the pandemic and we are still here thriving, we thank our circumstances, our health, our body, the vaccine, the scientists who made them, people who made it possible to reach us and you know the drill. That is just one aspect of our life.
Practicing gratitude makes us see the good, relieves the sadness that we feel in these days of isolation and strengthen our resiliency to get through this.
Tony Robbins said, when we are grateful, fear disappears, and abundance appears.
Live in the moment
There is nowhere in our lifetime when we know uncertainty than now. No amount of research can say what lies ahead. We don’t know how long this plague is going to affect us. But worrying about those things does not bring us any good either. Let us live one day at a time. Let us make each day counts. Let us appreciate today, the people around us, the good things that are happening.
Or take this a notch higher by doing meditation. Being still for a few minutes a day and focusing on our breaths helps us deal with the stress, lessen our anxiety and even improves our memory.
Spread love and positivity
We all see the sad news on TV, in social media and even among the people around us. Let us not add to the fuel. Let us be the source of something good and positive. Amidst all these things that are going on around us, there is also something good that is happening. We just must see those things and appreciate them. Remember that what we focus on is what expands. If we try to see what is good, then we see more of the good things that are happening. Let it spring from you and spread it around.
A study shows that optimism strengthens our immune system. At no other time is a strong immune system is needed than these days.
Keep finances in order
One of the lessons that this pandemic has taught us is that cash is king. Those who have the means were the ones that are able to adjust and cope up with this health scare around the world. That is true even in the smallest unit of our society and among individuals. On a personal level, worries about money impacts our mental health. Although we cannot put a premium to our health, it is always a step ahead that we keep our finances in order. Keeping our finances organized is one less thing to be worried about. Organizing your finances is having control over your income, savings, budget, debts, expenses and investments. Mismanaging your finances not only causes you stress but also puts you in trouble.
Connect with friends
Not just connect, but create or strengthen your connection with your love ones and friends. At times like this, who better can help us get through with this than with the people we love and the friends we cherish. The pandemic has isolated us from friends and family. The quarantines imposed has prevented or shorten our vacations that were normally spent with our loved ones. The closeness with friends is now blighted by physical distancing and scare of spreading or getting infected by the virus. But it should not prevent us for being with them and for them, albeit thru technology. Make time for it.
Social connections not only give us pleasure but it also have something to do with our well-being. People who have support from family, friends and community are known to be happier, have less illnesses and live longer.
Keep the healthy habits
… that we have developed. Over the course of this pandemic, we have adopted some healthy habits to keep the virus at bay. We should continue to do that and never be complacent. If you have put yourself into this “balik-alindog” program as we term it, then continue to do so. It may not guarantee immunity from the sickness, but our healthy body is our first line of defence against this unpredictable and shape shifting malady that befalls us.
Having a healthy body improves our mental well being. Having a healthy mind makes our body work better.
We need to keep our sanity in order to face the challenges that in life squarely.
Hi, I'm Cecille. I have been an OFW in KSA for 13 long years. I have been there, done that. I'd say I was lucky because for most of those years, my family was with me. I'd like to share in this blog what makes those years worthwhile, the lessons I learned and bits and pieces of info that may pique your interest as bagong bayani.