Embracing Uncertainty
There’s a lot of uncertainty around us right now. The news seems to be flooded with one bad thing after another, and it can get pretty overwhelming.
Breathe.
If you’re like me, (or an adult for that matter), you probably have some plans that have been negatively impacted by this virus. Personally, after hearing of the virus in January, I happened to be enrolled in an infectious diseases class. Basically this class tells you about all the viruses out there in the world. One of my lecturers gave us a pretty warning lecture about the capacity on this virus, and after that I went through the emotional cycle like everyone else.My boyfriend and I are both pursuing careers in science so I called him to talk about it. Needless to say, January was the month we had set aside for solidifying vacation plans so talking about the virus was not very fun or easy.
Breathe.
I allowed myself about a week to make peace with what was happening. Just to journal and think about all the good/bad/crazy things that could happen.
Then, I prayed. My faith is a huge part of my coping system, and it was the only way for me to stay calm. I told the universe about my fears/worries/doubts. Then, like my mother had taught me, I ended the prayer with what I was thankful for. One of those things being, control.
Control
“What do you mean control?” you might ask. After all , for some it feels like the ground is falling from beneath their feet. One technique I’ve found that has been really helpful for me to overcome fear is to focus on what I can control. During months/days when I’m going through a lot of uncertainty, I like to assign myself tasks that I can do. They are usually very small and easy to accomplish. For instance, I will write: brush teeth, go for a walk, listen to my favorite song. Then, at the end of the day, I will cross out all the things I can control. This is a fun way to trick your brain out of temporary anxiety. it’s saying, look, this is what I can still do.
Educate
Even-though i am currently pursuing the career of a physician, i am not a physician. Therefore, I allow myself at most one hour every 3 days to take in all the info about the current pandemic. That’s my limit for my health, and it might be a little strict. However, during that one hour, I seek out information that answers questions on what my role is/should be during this tough time. If i see a lot of articles telling me the one way I can help is to stay in, I stay in. Education in right doses keeps me informed and not naive, while allowing my brain and body to adapt and fight on.
Be healthy
So we’re all probably now practicing some form of “social distancing”. How can we stay healthy if we’re cooped out all day? This was a really hard factor for me to modify because my gym membership is a huge part of my weekly routine. So, I went to youtube and looked up ways to be healthy at home. Yoga with Adrienne y’all. Early morning walks when I can put 500 ft between myself and the only other ghost on the block. Eating healthy and meal prepping ( see cooking tab for help with this). These are fun new ways I stay healthy, while doing my part as a good citizen.
Give
One of the biggest difficulties I’ve faced during this time is: as a leader of a volunteer group, having to cancel all our events. We work with a lot of vulnerable populations and it was emotionally taxing for me to think about how those individuals were losing vital resources during this time due to decreased participation. So, I looked for ways to still help. Virtual donations, crises hotlines, social support from a distance, a phone call to a friend in need. Doing these helped me feel like I was doing my part to make the world a better place during such a difficult time.
So that’s what I’ve been doing dear readers. I’ve also taken some lazy days, had some really productive days, and have had some in between.
We’re all in this together.
Breathe
xoxo.
Here’s a free checklist to help :)
