Two weeks ago, I never would have thought any of this would be possible. I wouldn’t have believed the cancellations, the empty shelves, the hollowed out worried faces. But every day, what was impossible yesterday somehow happens today. We have never seen anything like this in our lifetimes. As we juggle our incredible fears, our longings and our disappointments, I think we are all desperate to control something in a world that seems completely chaotic. I would suggest there a few things we CAN control. We can become a person we want to be quarantined with. We can look for ways to find something good, something joyful and something positive.

Two weeks ago, we booked a trip as a family. Somehow, we found four days that worked for all of us. We wanted to be together right after my older daughter finished graduate school and my younger daughter finished the high school play she was working so hard on. Now we have that rarity we wanted so badly. We all sat down together and talked about what we need from ourselves and from each other. We talked about how to respect each other and how we can find the positives. We decided to look at this as an opportunity as incredible as that sounds. It’s an opportunity to be our best selves, to love each other more and to really develop the positive traits that make life worth living.

Two weeks ago, we didn’t know a germ so tiny would have such a huge impact on our lives and on the entire world. Our priorities have changed. Our entire existence has been stripped down to the basics of getting provisions for our families and staying healthy. And with everything else stripped away, I wonder if we can begin to build up things that really matter-like love and giving and joy. I wonder if we can look back at this time and be proud of who we were. I wonder if we can learn something important that will influence everything else. I hope so and I wish for the best for you and yours.

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We are all feeling the impact of the Coronavirus and its toll on our personal lives as well as the world at large. Feelings of fear to panic abound; yet it's important that we try to remain calm and focus on what is within our control. This includes our attitude and our actions. Below are some suggestions on how we might do that.

~ Try to stay hopeful and focused on the positive. Research shows that positive emotions help to broaden our perspective and build resources. In this way, if we can focus on creating positive emotions, such as love and hope, we will be better able to see the bigger picture, use our resources for problem solving, and build resilience.

~ Commit to being our best selves. We need to treat others with respect, as we are all in this together. Our relationships play a key role in our health and happiness, and when we are cooped up together, patience may run thin, and we may act in ways that are not in alignment with our best selves.

~ Designate time for activities that foster love and connection. Set expectations and make sure to include time to be together as well as time for solitude and rejuvenation. This can be a special time with families home together; we can create micro moments of connection as well as respect each other’s needs for personal space.

~ Practice self-care. Last, but certainly not least, we need to take care of ourselves. As an emotional eater, I know how tempting it is to stuff down your feelings with comfort food, but now is the time that we need to be eating nutritious foods, exercising, and getting ample sleep. This will help us to strengthen our immune systems so that we can ward off the virus if we come in contact with it.

At The Wisdom Coalition, we are working hard to remain positive and optimistic. Our hope is that we will come through this challenging time with a renewed sense of gratitude and resilience. We are sending loving, positive, healthy energy to you and your families!