Take Charge of Your Health - Resilience in the Time of COVID
Although the world is full of suffering,
it is also full of the overcoming of it.
-Helen Keller
The COVID pandemic is on all of our minds. There is no escape and its repercussions will be felt for generations. For many of us, the problems of the world seem so overwhelming right now that it is hard to keep putting one foot in front of the other. And yet, we need to; that is where resilience comes in. After all, how do people like Malala or others who have been abused and attacked not only survive, but go on to thrive and help others? Right now, with the coronavirus in full force with the loss of over 90,000 lives here in the US and the hundreds of thousands more across the globe, we are weighed down by events we have little control over, but that doesn’t mean we have to cede all control. We need to know how to find our own resilience, as the dictionary says, our “ability to recover from difficulty.”
According to many who study resilience, there are a multitude of techniques that can help us to build resilience of our own. These include:
Allowing ourselves to accept our own feelings and not fear them. This is important to remember as we react to the changes our families have had to make relative to school, work, visiting one another and basic economics.
Letting go of judgment and blame. It is hard not to become frustrated with our shortcomings, from PPE scarcity to the lack of a coordinated response. And yet, treatments, vaccines and new tests are all being developed at warp speed around the globe with an unprecedented level of cooperation and sharing.
Nurturing a sense of humor. From late night TV to home videos, comic graphics, and new adages, we have been given permission to smile. Humor touches our core, feeds our soul, keeps us human...and it is good for us.
Reaching out to others for sharing and support. A variety of web based apps like ZOOM that facilitate our working from home, also allow us to get creative in our online social time and provide a reprieve from our forced isolation.
Finding meaning in our personal challenge. This can be as simple as looking for the silver lining when it is not intuitively obvious. Virtual graduations, weddings, birthdays are major milestones clearly affected by the ban on large group gatherings and travel and yet provide opportunities to celebrate in new ways.
Connecting to something greater. This often helps us to uncover the strength we have within us by understanding that we are not alone on our journey.
Helping others. Donations, a kind word or deed, or volunteering to take over a task for someone in need are examples of seizing control where we can that can help us feel less hopeless.
Keeping a gratitude journal or taking the time to think about what we are grateful for helps us find our own good news amidst the scary news that surrounds us.
Believe in yourself and in your ability to cope. It doesn’t have to be every minute, or even every hour, but in the end. Remembering other issues you have overcome successfully helps us get over the hump of self-doubt.
This time out that has been forced upon the world has held many hostage and will be felt for years to come. Like everyone else, we need to be strong, help where we can and find hope. There are several resources available about developing resilience, including the American Psychological Association website and an articles from Greater Good and Positive Psychology.