In the past week or two my thoughts on the New Normal have evolved quite a bit. Some of my earlier, a bit flippant, assessments on this new virus have been superseded. But I am also less panicked, accepting that we need to move through this graciously since it’s unavoidable that the virus is spreading across the globe.
So, thoughts on resilience are helpful since you all have access to enough press coverage to stay in a state of suspended and chronic anxiety and that’s not useful. Instead, let’s talk about cultivating resilience by boosting your own inner defenses, such as courage and strengthening your immune system.
The toilet paper shortage is a silly symptom of people’s short-term panic reaction. Since this virus will probably take about 6 months (if not longer) to wash over this country you will need to exist and survive in this new cultural construct for a while. You’ll learn to trust that the shelves in your local supermarket will again be filled with toilet paper and pasta two weeks from now. Exhale……………
Strengthening the host (you, your body and mind), as Liise-ann Pirofski, about whose work as an infectious disease specialist I wrote in an earlier post, puts it, gives you a sense of empowerment.
Here goes. Strengthen the host, you, by getting plenty of sleep (easy if you will be working from home), eating plenty of greens (lots of antioxidants) and fresh foods (now is a good time to sign up for a local CSA and support the farmers and your local economy, and do more home cooking), supplementing (especially lots of vitamin C and D3, perhaps chlorella or other microgreens), getting plenty of fresh air and sunshine, shutting off the news from time to time, and being mindful of your thoughts (fearful thoughts self-prophesize). None of these constitute new news, really. But in times like these we may be more motivated to listen to such messages then when we’re endlessly rushing around. Stop watching doomsday movies and have a glass of wine with a friend instead. It’s better for your disposition and your immune system.
The other way to develop resilience is by volunteering in your community or helping your elderly neighbors with shopping because you’ll feel useful, you are contributing, and that in turn boosts your immune system as well.
The effects of this virus on our economy and culture also serve as a mirror. Some realizations that are turning up are a false fears of scarcity (run on toilet paper), confusion over the truthfulness of the news (learning to distinguish fake from real news), the busyness we have all accepted as a way of life in this country (we are forced to slow down, suspend commuting for a while, and spend more quality time in our nuclear families), and the lack of a social safety net in this country (those without health insurance or sick leave will go to work sick and infect others - potentially you and me). What do you make of this information?
Be well and stay healthy!