Dealing Positively with the COVID19 Situation

Image from Harvard Health

These are difficult times, with restrictions on our lives on unprecented levels and with corresponding anxiety about not having enough or even about being harmed by illness.  I've assembled some tips here to help keep you positive and focused on improving your life by manifesting your potential and desires, even during these challenges.

1. Redirect anxiety about harm from COVID19 to putting extra energy and effort into self-care.  Avoid being a victim to fear which inhibits your immune system.  Get enough sleep, at least 7-8 hours and try to be in bed before midnight.  Improve sleep by developing a sleep culture.  Exercise regularly, even if it’s at home, at least 3-5x/wk for 30 minutes.  Walk or run or bike, use a machine if you have one, or weights, or do calisthenics.  Get outdoors regularly, breathe fresh air around plants and trees, put your bare feet on the soil, and get sunlight on your skin in a bathing suit for at least 30 minutes 3x/wk.  Eat healthy, preferably more fruits and veggies, which have powerful immune boosting properties.  Prepare food at home rather than getting takeout.  Obtain and use natural nutritional supplements that boost the immune system, improve brain health, and reduce stress, such as a quality multivitamin, extra Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Zinc, Omega 3’s from fish or flax/hemp/chia, Magnesium, Astragalus, Kava or Chamomile, and CBD.  Manage stress effectively and actively and regularly by developing a stress management culture and practice, including some form of meditation or relaxation, herbs, teas, relaxing baths, yoga, taiji, etc.  Practice good hygiene, using masks and washing hands when appropriate.  Get help and support when needed.
2. Limit social media time and Netflix time texting/messaging and rather have phone calls and video chats with actual friends and family.
3. Stay updated on what’s going on, but limit news and media time to an hour or so per day to avoid obsession, anxiety & negativity.  Consider watching independent media on YouTube rather than corporate news channels.
4. If you are working at home or not working, develop a structure and a simple plan for each day and stick to it.  Make a to-do list on your phone or on paper and use your phone’s or a paper calendar to plan and remember events.  Include time for work (or looking for work) as well as time to take care of your health and your personal life.
5. Reframe your thinking about the situation.  First, call it a situation rather than a pandemic.  There is lot of evidence that this virus is no more dangerous or prevalent than the flu.  Second, realize that the chance of you or your loved ones being seriously harmed is very low, especially if you and they are taking good care of your health.  Third, take advantage of more home time and possibly less time at work by spending more time with people you care about, doing more things you want to do, and spending more time outdoors.  Consider joining an online group doing things you enjoy.  Fourth, take the opportunity to reevaluate your life and decide whether you want and need to make changes when this situation passes.  Finally, manifest what you want rather than what you don’t want by thinking positively and imagining what you want to happen, claiming that it will happen, asking the Universe for support and feedback and believing you will get it, and then taking action steps to make it happen.  Remember that what you focus on grows and manifests in your life!