Some things to focus on during these times

Maybe one day we will look back and say, it was the worst of times, it was the best of times.

Many people feel afraid right now.

Yet, many people feel more love, more connection, and more self-awareness right now. Many people are showing their generosity, re-igniting a meaningful connection with their loved ones and taking care of their well-being. Many people use this time as a new chance to practice their strength, their kindness and their ability to love.

Our reaction to what is happening right now matters. We can feel attacked and we can start acting irrationally, or we can see this situation as an opportunity to share, to be kind, to connect with our brothers and sisters and to love with more fortitude.

Do we choose to respond with generosity and intelligence, or do we choose to respond with fear and irrationality?

I think that is a question worth remembering every day in the months to come.

Here are some things I encourage you to invest in right now:

Meaningful connection with others.

Human isolation is dangerous. Humans need each other in order to thrive. Humans get sick and fearful when they are isolated from others. Physical distancing can be concerning for our society. However, this physical distancing we are experiencing globally is also an opportunity to bond closer emotionally with each other.

I’ve been so touched to see communities come closer together during this time. There haven’t been gatherings in person, but people have connected more online, have offered their help to each other and have felt more warmth towards their brothers and sisters, their fellow human beings.

We have to keep physical distancing from each other for a while, but we don’t have to keep emotional distancing from each other. I strongly encourage you to seek a meaningful connection with people (even if over the phone and online) during these times of isolation. Love others and connect with them.

The physical isolation is just that, a separation of our bodies. It’s not an isolation of the mind or of the heart. It does not mean we can’t connect with each other and come closer together emotionally.

Generosity: help people in need.

This time is really hard for some people. People are suffering from losing their jobs, from not being able to go outside and buy food, from feeling afraid, from feeling lonely and isolated or from various reasons. If you think of somebody who needs your help, please consider helping them. I’m not suggesting you do it out of obligation. But if you do feel connection, gratitude and warmth, don’t be afraid to lend a hand. Even a smile, kind words and thoughts of love and peace make a big difference.

Generosity: be kind to yourself.

What is the most efficient way to be kind to yourself?

In my opinion, it is to do your best to see love, to be love and to think love. These are the thoughts and actions that elevate you and that make you stronger. When you see empty shelves, don’t judge, don’t feel afraid and don’t feel lonely. Find thoughts of love. When you see hospitals overcrowded, don’t feel afraid, but send love to all our brave doctors, nurses and staff and to all of their patients. And so on. Love is always a choice, even in the midst of chaos. Sometimes it is not easy to make this choice, but it is possible to earnestly search for ways to make this choice.

Stay rational.

Fear kills intelligence. Fear makes people irrational. And your intelligence is needed right now.

Do your best to stay anchored in intelligence and in a fearless (love-filled) attitude. The world will not end. We will do our best to help our health care system. We will do our best to help our economy. Not all statistics that are publicized make sense. This too will pass, and we will collectively help it pass peacefully.

Nourish your mind.

There is lots of information on the internet and in the news. Some of it will make you feel more fearful, and some of it will make you feel stronger. Everything you see is nutrition or poison for the mind. We don’t always realize it, but what we see on TV or on the internet gets stored in our consciousness.

Please be extra mindful of what you feed your mind with right now. Think of this time as a marathon in sharpening your ability to feel strength, love and peace. Before and during a marathon, you don’t eat candy bars, do you? The last thing that anybody needs right now is more fear. Please read and watch things that make you feel stronger, more intelligent and more loving. You will know if a piece of media is good for your mind by the way it makes you feel later.

Creativity.

One interesting thing about getting a break from life as usual is that the desire for creativity often becomes stronger. Creativity is not just about doing art. Creativity is about feeling flow and the activities through which that feeling comes are different for everyone. You may get that feeling from cleaning your house, while others may get it from writing a poem.

Use this time to allow these heart-driven creative desires to bubble up to the surface. Don’t cover up these little nudges that tell you to learn a new craft, write something, clean out your closet, make some art, make your own bread, start making videos, plant vegetables in your windowsill, or whatever you feel interest towards.

Self- awareness.

When you stay home, there are fewer physical distractions. If you can’t go anywhere physically, you will go places inwards. You might think of things you haven’t thought of in a long time. You might remember things about your life you’ve forgotten. You might realize things about yourself that you haven’t acknowledged yet.

It’s normal to feel more introspection given the physical restraints. Don’t run away from self-awareness, but use this time to allow it to blossom. Let these thoughts come up, take a look at what they’re trying to tell you, and then release them gently.

Your well-being.

If you are quarantined, I encourage you to use this time as a replete. This period is like a dent in time. Maybe you will work more, maybe you will work less because you have family to take care of. Either way, use this change in your status quo to take care of yourself and to invest in your well-being. When is the last time you had a chance to step away from your life as usual, for a long time?

Maybe this time can be a gift for your well-being. Yes, this time is very challenging for many people. But you have to take care of yourself before you can take care of others. You can’t take care of your family if you are not well. Nourish your body as best as you can, not just with healthy foods, but also with healthy thoughts.

Feel gratitude.

Feel grateful for what you have. As you can see, things can change in an instant. Why not truly feel grateful for what you already have right now? Your warm bed, your family, your friends, your business, the food you have in your fridge, sunlight, fresh rain, beautiful pictures and anything else you can think of. Wake up every morning and tell yourself that you accept yourself exactly as you already are, that you’re grateful for your body, your personality, your interests, your intelligence, your creativity and everything else you have.