I heard something today that I found helpful. Even the most chilled out person will be affected by the stress of this global virus situation. Instead of telling everyone to calm down, maybe we should recognize that these are legitimate feelings of added stress. Staying cool when life heats up is a balance, it is a skill, it takes all the tools we can tap into. We just are not always going to get it right.
When we become fearful or panic our cortisol spikes and our immune system lowers. The lower our immune system, the more susceptible we are to the coronavirus. Time to find ways to stay calm cool and collected during this stressful time.
Yesterday when I was talking to a client I mentioned that I usually do not get rattled, I usually am pretty calm, but even I feel the added stress of this situation. That is not like me yet even I feel it. This has been a new lesson for me that sometimes things are so much larger than what is in our control that we do feel the impact of it.
It is my responsibility not to spread fear and panic. Isn’t there plenty of that going around already? Instead, I recognize that this situation is happening and saying “just stay calm” is not completely helpful either. This will be a learning curve for all of us.
Remember, this stressful time does not have to be filled with fear. It is a great time to get connected with a higher power than yourself because we obviously have lost a lot of control. While we feel like we are in an out of control situation, it can be life-saving to realize that there is a much bigger picture, a higher power, that is in control.
We all have to find our own place in this. Find your own stressors and do what you can to reduce them because there are plenty right now. Acknowledging that this is a stressful situation can be a tool to reduce stress in itself. After all, it is the truth. The difference is, those who take action based on fear, or those who take action based on truth. Truth is, there is stress with this situation, but our actions do not need to be based on fear.
Although I do not have the right words to say “be calm” AND act accordingly, I do have a heart for peace and wellness during this time. Taking common-sense action is actually a way to “be calm” because it gives us a bit of control without freakout.
We can be kind to others that are more stressed than ourselves, so be kind!!!! That might be the greatest act you can do right now. Spread love, not germs, not fear, not panic.
