COVID-19: Resources to Help You Stabilize

Yes, we are living through a pandemic. No, succumbing to panic will not help us.

Every day, every hour even, offers new global information about the spread of the novel corona virus. Here are some ideas for what to do instead of being consumed by and overwhelmed by the constant stream of information, much of which is not helpful for you to know every second. (Here are five ways to moderate your news intake.)

Let's start with staying calm. We are all responsible for maintaining our own nervous systems. Remaining in a place of heightened arousal, where our body is getting the message that we must fight, flight, or freeze every second of the day will do nothing more than put us at risk of becoming sick. We have two calm-inducing meditation practices to try, instant calm breathing meditation and a guided meditation for stress relief using breathing with the pelvic floor.

You could also try these three practices offered in the story “How to Find Calm Amid Chaos” or try these “3 Sense Practices to Calm Anxiety.”

Maintaining Connections

The most recent recommendation calls for social distancing. Officials suggest that exposure can occur within six feet of someone who is infected with covid-19, whether or not they are showing signs. Reducing contact, which is something we thrive on as humans, causes us to feel disconnected and lonely. The question becomes, how can we connect with others without touching or being close? We can look for other ways to reach out. With the amount of stress we are all under, connecting and compassion actually incredibly helpful.

Rather than relying on bodily contact, consider other ways to connect. Call people you care about, or better yet, Facetime or Skype with them so you get a visual aspect. I read a suggestion today about hosting virtual dance parties. Write letters. Cultivate a framework of kindness. Increase your direct connection in every way you can think of without physical contact. New measures have been put in place to limit visitors to care homes to only those that are medically necessary. While it makes sense on one level, loved ones in these elder care facilities are most vulnerable to the dangers of isolation and loneliness. How can we reach out to them? This is a time for every one of us to get creative.

Keep in place the rituals and routines that make you feel safe and grounded. Get enough sleep, feed yourself nourishing foods, and remember that we are all in this together. If we ever wondered about our connection as a global community, this virus is showing us that what happens on the other side of the planet affects us all.

Our response, and how we manage our inner resources, matters to other people. Consider the effects of our actions on the greater good.

During the current coronavirus crisis, our staff writer Julie Peters is live streaming all yoga classes, for free, from her studio Ocean and Crow on Facebook Live.