• Instead of stealing and stocking up on resources, what about sharing resources with those who are running out or who are unable to get to the shop themselves?
• Altruism and helping others can have a positive impact on our well-being and satisfaction in life. What about offering to drop off food for our neighbour who is quarantined?
• Aligning together, creating a sense of togetherness, not labelling or stigmatising each other, can help us more effectively contain the coronavirus. We are all in this together.
• Staying informed without overdoing it. Anxiety thrives on trying to find certainty and you may notice that you are drawn into finding more information to stay safe. It can help to pause and rest when we recognise that news is taking too much of our mental capacity. Also being wiser about the sources of information we use to minimise spreading rumours and anxiety in ourselves and others.
• Remember the fundamentals of communication such as respect and active listening. Our anger and fear can become blinding as we convince ourselves that our view is right (and others are wrong) and this hinders our ability to listen. Finding a balance between mindfully listening to experts in the field, as well as sharing our thoughts and opinions, can help us be better equipped and informed on how to cope.
• Compassion is also about saying no if this means alleviating further suffering. It is OK to respectfully say ‘no’ to being part of another coronavirus discussion, or to say ‘no’ if we think it is too soon to meet a friend or colleague because we have a vulnerable family member at home or want to safeguard ourselves.
• It is OK to feel vulnerable and scared. We may need to give ourselves and others permission and space to express these feelings, even we do not like them. Trying to supress, deny, ignore, and invalidate our feelings does not mean they will go away; rather they may accumulate and feel more overwhelming over time.
• When we notice our worrying thoughts, we can thank our brain for doing its job and trying to keep us safe. We can then turn our attention towards nurturing ourselves by showing ourselves kindness and engaging in self-care. We can also focus on engaging in activities that give our life meaning and connecting with people we value. This can help us get out of our heads and into our present moment.
• A special friend helped me understand that finding moments of humour and happiness even during times of adversity can be healing. Notice and punctuate these moments! This was beautifully demonstrated in Italy as the community united together in song and laughter from their balconies. A real illustration of how we can come together to get through it.