Since June of 2019, I have been through a series of Crises. Now we are involved in this COVID-19 Pandemic. This flu virus that has been around for 300 years and has surfaced in different variations in the past. This one is quite contagious and for some can be deadly. We do have to be careful. I live in one of the states that put out the first Stay-At Home orders and eventually closed school properties for the rest of the year. This crisis has certainly changed our community, life and lifestyle. Through the last 9 months of crises, I learned healthy ways to deal with a crisis. What got me through all my crises is my healthy lifestyle: positive healthy mindset, structure, reducing stress with relaxation, exercising, fun times and connecting with others, and healthy diet with nutritional supplements.
Focus on the Right Mindset
The first healthy way to deal with a crisis is the way you perceive it. Just like the other crises that there forced upon me, this pandemic is forced upon us. We have to understand, we have no control on how the crisis happened in the first place. If we had control, it would not have happened. But we do have the control how on how we will perceive it and we can control our emotions and behaviors to set the right mindset.
We first have to remain calm. Unfortunately, people in our community did that do that hence the shortage of toilet paper and paper towels. Silly to hoard these items. When your mind is not calm, you are acting through the “flight response” of your brain. You are thinking irrational. Grabbing everything that you think you need. When I saw the shelves emptied, I simply knew that there would be another shipment. We are not in an earthquake situation. I was right. Thus, I focused on calm rational thoughts help me through the grocery store situation.
Uncertainty Needs Structure
A second healthy way to deal with a crisis is structure. This crisis caused a big shift in people’s lives. It is very important to have structure. It gives people comfort during uncertain times. People are used to their routines and how they lived their lives. Their routines make their structure. Their structure and stability collapsed. Especially seen in the volatility of the stock market. Plus, our Governor mandated essential and non-essential businesses. Some people did not have a job anymore. Others were able to work at home or had a schedule of working at home for a few weeks and then going to work. Working at home was new to many. All of these changes caused emotional and financial uncertainty. Remember we are all in this together.
For the younger set, schools were closed. Schools were not prepared to teach online. Structure was not in place. Announcements were made in two-week cycles because of the changes that our State was putting on the schools. I love the way that my community is continuing with education the best they can. They started with “Enrichment Learning” until the technology was put in place Plus, there is a big learning curve to tackle this technology and deliver education through the internet. You have to teach a lot of “old dogs” new tricks. They just started with online learning, when our governor closed all schools for rest of the year. Our district decided to move forward to deliver their content until the end of the school year on June 11th. The decision to continue was so important, because District officials wanted their students to have structure and content they needed. It is crucial for the High School Students who are getting ready for AP, SAT and ACT tests to continue with their education. At least the AP test will be taken online. I hope SAT and ACT will follow the AP lead. We will see.
But what the school district did was create an Action Plan and follow through with it. Yes, this Action plan may have to change as time goes on, but it is a plan to start with action items in stages which they did. The students are beginning to feel more comfortable and settling into a new way to learn.
You as a business owner or an employee working at home, you need to set up an Action Plan and you probably already did it. Employees set up your work area at home will see what actions need to be tackled first. When you complete these action items, you will have a sense of accomplishment and uncertainty will began to diminish.
Uncertainty Causes Stress
Obviously, this crisis is changing our lives and lifestyles. Such a drastic change causes feelings of uncertainty and in turn stress . A healthy way to deal with a crisis that causes uncertainty and stress is to remain focused on being calm and decide what you can do for yourself. You have so many alternatives. You have to remain healthy so reduce stress by exercising, enjoy find activities, relax, connect with others and most importantly eat healthy. Start these different healthy habits. It will help you get your mind off what is going on.
Exercise Reduces Stress
First a great way to reduce stress is exercise. It is great we can exercise in our neighborhoods. I am taking full advantage of it right now. I run, walk and get fresh air. During 1981 Pandemic they found that patients who got fresh air healed quicker than others. Circulating your blood is beneficial for your body and mind when endorphins are released
Fun Activities Brings Joy
You can do other recreational activities in your home like hobbies, play board games, do puzzles, work our a lego set together with your family. It creates family togetherness, conversations and enjoyment. These fun times helps build your serotonin and reduce stress.
Releasing Stress with Relaxation
Mediation or listening to calm music is another great way to relieve stress. Some people love to cook and find it relaxing. Others love to read. Read your favorite books or even some self-improvement books. Learn something new. You can even soak your feet in foot bath with your favorite essential oil.
Connecting to Others is Joyful
Believe it our not Social Distancing is not social isolation. While I run, I make sure I greet people with a happy, “Good Morning!“ and share “What a beautiful day it is!” I even cheer them on and say, “This is your second lap. Way to go!” It makes people smile. It makes me feel good.
Calling people or connecting online willmake you feel better. It puts a smile on everyone’s face. When they can hear their voice and especially see their face. It relieves that uncertainty you have with how things are going with them. Thus, relieves stress.
Healthy Eating Reduces Stress too
Finally, the most important Healthy Way to Deal with a Crisis is eating healthy. A good diet will reduce stress and keep your immunity strong. To have a strong immunity, you have to have a healthy gut. Your gut houses 80% of your serotonin. Your gut and brain communicate to each other via the Vagus Nerve. So, if your gut is unhealthy, your brain may be foggy. If you are nervous about something, your will have “butterflies” or simply don’t feel well.
Create a Healthy Gut
The best way to have a healthy gut is remove Gluten Foods and Sugar from your diet. Why? Well Gluten foods like wheat, we simply don’t have enzymes to digest them well. Especially our modern genetically modify wheat. It causes the villi in our digestion track to shorten. The villi are like a sea anemone grabbing for our foods and nutrients. When our villi are damaged, we cannot absorb our foods or nutrients properly. Sugar is known for causing inflammation. Removing these two from your diet will help you feel better, and you will be able to better absorb the foods and nutrients you eat. Once your system is absorbing correctly, you will have more energy too. I can give you a list of good and bad food lists. Contact me for that list.
Where Do You Stand?
In the meantime, to get through this crisis focus on being calm with the right mindset and make sound decisions. A friend of mine shared this image. I don’t know where it came from, but look where you stand. Managing your mindset is the first step to manage your stress. Then start your healthy habits of exercise, relaxation, and connecting with others in a “Social Distancing” way to booster your happiness. Don’t forget to have fun with your love ones. Eat healthy or start on your way on a new lifestyle of eating. I can coach you through your new lifestyle. Just know, we all will get through this pandemic.