Coping in Uncertain Times
Written by Rachael Hunter
I think it’s safe to say that 2020 has had its fair share of downs and very few ups. From the start of the year, we have been plagued with the Coronavirus pandemic which has caused thousands of people all of the world to lose their lives and millions more to become hospitalised. The inevitable lockdown of the country forced our economy to crash and our smallest and most vulnerable businesses to close. It caused thousands of people to lose their jobs and homes, our children lost out on proper education for months and the most vulnerable people in society were left without many of their basic necessities overnight.
After what feels like a long and hard struggle this year, the devastation caused by the virus has been a blatant reminder that life really is precious. There are so many uncertainties, so many unanswered questions and a countless number of worries. I have struggled with this a lot the last few months. Majority of the time I struggle knowing where I stand with a lot of things. My emotions are everywhere, I don’t know what to think or even what to believe anymore. However, I very much doubt I am alone in this. At times I find it surprising how many people seem to get on with things and act as if things are OK. In reality, however, I believe they are hiding it just as well as I am.
So, how do we get off this rollercoaster in one piece? Well for a start I believe we have to embrace every moment and every good thing happening just now. If the pandemic has taught me anything, it’s that it’s the little things that mean the most. Those little moments of silence, the warmth of the sun on our faces, fully stocked shelves in the supermarket, our children's laughter, the ability to travel, a cuddle from someone special, a good book or even just a smile from a stranger. Anything to help remind us that we are OK and we will get through this.
Take time out for yourself and slow down. Refrain from checking the news and social media apps 24/7. It’s not good for us. Take regular breaks from your phone, whether it’s hours, days or weeks - you will benefit from it. Humans aren’t meant to be staring at screens and flooding their brains with information all day long. I often take time away from my phone and find it quite empowering when I discover that I am in charge of the information I consume.
Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, is to practice kindness. Everyone is fighting their own battles. We are all human and it is this that connects us in the good times and the bad. We all feel, we all hurt and we all worry - whether or not we choose to show it. We all have different challenges in life, different strengths and different weaknesses. Our worries differ, our backgrounds differ and our opinions differ. Despite this, we all feel. We need to come together and unite as humans with a love for one another, for peace and for life as we know it.
Finally, gratitude. Because despite everything going on in the world, there will always be some good out there that you need to focus on. I am fortunate to be here with my family, we are in good health and we still have a roof over our heads. I am so grateful for this and it is this that keeps me hopeful and positive. It can be difficult to remain grateful, especially in times of trouble but it is key to feeling more in control and therefore, happy.
Life sets us many challenges and right now I believe we are dealing with one of the more difficult ones. Like everything else, it will pass and normality will resume. Perhaps not exactly like it was before but if we continue to be kind, patient and understanding with one another and with ourselves, we can come out of this stronger than before. History has taught us that we are tougher and more resilient than we ever imagined.
Aim to focus on the positives, be grateful for the simple things and embrace our differences. Our challenges may not be over but we can choose to show up and get through it together.