COVID-19: Mind over Matter
The past few weeks have been such a learning curve for me, as Coronavirus, or more commonly known as COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019), has made its way around the world. The questions I’ve been asking myself lately include — Am I washing my hands enough? Am I touching my face too much? What if I have the virus and don’t recognize it? Should I be wearing a surgical mask? Should I be stepping out of the house?
I have always been a social person who likes spending time outdoors. Don’t get me wrong, I love to indulge on an occasional Netflix binge but stepping out for a hike, exercise or sport has its own charm. Although these activities can be performed alone, personally, it’s just not as fun when compared to sharing that experience with a group. However, with the coronavirus outbreak, which has been declared a global pandemic, slowly crumbling the global economy, all group activities are suspended in order to practice “social distancing”.
For many reasons, I believe that social distancing is the right approach to take, which meant sacrificing the little joys in life for the greater good, in order to “flatten the curve”. Perhaps, this is nature’s way of retaliating to our ever-growing concerns around climate change and carbon dioxide emissions. This crisis also serves as a learning for all of us to spend quality time at home, travel only when necessary, pick up the phone to call loved ones, and have meaningful conversations.
We all acknowledge that social networks can be a source of many fake claims, but they also act as a major form of support for each other. A beautiful depiction of this statement is how Italy copes with their current lockdown situation singing from their balconies, viral videos of doctors and nurses dancing in their hazmat suits. We are all trying to make light of the horror that is upon us.
As we try to avoid contact as much as we can, I leave you with a quote by Brian Tracy, which inspires me during such a challenging time. It says, “The true test of leadership is how well you function in a crisis”.
