Well, I have to be honest. There was a big part of me that thought that just because I wrote about the COVID-19 pandemic last month did not mean that I would be writing about it again this month. Yet here we are, and I sure was wrong. Unless you escape to Netflix etc. or a good novel, or a children’s television show, what else is there going on in the world? We are surrounded by and inundated by - news, updates, alerts, press conferences, Zoom meetings – all pertaining to this health crisis. Discussions of it are inescapable. And some of them are very important.
As the medical and scientific communities learn more about this virus, it’s important for us all to be able to distill which of that information can pertain to our lives and extend our ability to keep ourselves and our families safe and well. So really, we can only avoid so much of all of this without missing out on vital information.
So then, what can we do to balance this highly stressful information with something more benign and hopeful? At a time when everyone, and I do mean EVERYONE, is feeling pretty powerless, pretty small, pretty vulnerable, and pretty anxious, what can we do for ourselves? I have no magic; there is no magic; but there are some tried and true measures to decrease the stress we are all feeling:
Breathe; Meditate; Sing; Dance; Cook; Bake; Garden; Take a hot bath; Take a walk and look at the blooms all around you; Be very silly with your baby and kids; Do some of the things you always told yourself you would do if you ever had the time – if you have the time now.
Now is the time to think about what is really important to you, what your dearest values are, and what you have some control over. And, as terribly hard as it is, don’t be part of the problem.
Stay home unless you are exercising in your neighborhood or buying food. Wear a mask. Wash your hands. Express gratitude to those who are working to save lives and to bring you food to eat and supplies to enable you to stay home.
If you are amongst those who are caring in any way for the rest of us, thank you so very much.
If you think it would be helpful to have some individual or group support. We’ve got you covered. You can reach BBB at beyondthebabyblues@gmail.com and The Moms Line at 866-364-6667.