Right now, we are all exposed to a situation that is totally new and unknown.
Since the outbreak here in Austria and since our government declared a self-isolation obligation, I call my grandmother every night. Usually, we talk a few times per week, but now that she is at home by herself all day long, I decided I want to support her by calling at least once a day.
Last night, I asked her whether she ever experienced something similar to the coronavirus. My grandma is 72 years old, and she told me how she never in her life faced a situation that was even close to the coronavirus and all the effects it has on the globe.
Usually, when young people have life struggles, they can refer to older generations for a sense of familiarity.
When it comes to generic topics like finances, love, health, or education, our parents or even grandparents can usually help us through their personal advice. Sometimes, their tips might not hit the zeitgeist, yet. But it’s always lovely to get some advice from our elders.
Right now, however, the situation is totally different. I feel as if everyone is overwhelmed by the current developments across the globe, and nobody truly knows how to cope with these crazy times. And to be honest, I feel an obligation to inform my grandmother of current affairs so that she stays safe.
Admittedly, I even believe my parents have a much more difficult time accepting the tremendous damages caused by the coronavirus than myself.
My father, for example, is a self-employed taxi driver at the airport, and for several weeks, he hardly generates any revenue as the number of passengers sharply declined. However he, just like the majority of the world’s population, has a lot of monthly bills to pay.
Long story short: We are all in this together. Even if you don’t catch the virus, its impacts might be heavily impacting your life. And nobody knows when all of this is going to be over.
However, even in the toughest of times, we can choose how we react to difficulties. Yes, we are facing challenges, and yes, there’s a lot of uncertainty going on, but each of us can make a decision: We either freak out and lose our minds, or we stay calm, strengthen our mental health and make the best out of these crazy times.
I’d certainly go for the first option.
Even though I am missing the gym, my family, eating outside, and extended walks in nature, I will stay at home, avoid human contact, and hope that most other people do the same.
However, I am using these times to strengthen my mindset, to practice self-reflection, and to work on my business. There’s no point in feeling sorry for ourselves, so let’s make use of this precious time we have and stay positive despite everything that is currently going on.
That being said, let’s take a look at ten quotes that can give us a little perspective during such chaotic times as these.
“You don’t have to control your thoughts. You just have to stop letting them control you.“ — Dan Millman
It’s okay to be a little afraid and to have worries. We are all coping with uncertainty right now.
However, we shouldn’t let our fears control our lives. Having negative thoughts during these difficult times is reasonable, and there is no point in suppressing them.
Yet, let’s remind ourselves that we are the creator of our life and that everything will be okay again, at some point.
Don’t blame yourself for being concerned. Let your fears pass away and, most importantly, shift your focus. Spend your time doing things you actually can control. Read good books, do some yoga, practice self-reflection, get informed about building a side business — do whatever feels right for you. And if that means being a little lazy and sleeping more than usual, go for it!
“Patience is the calm acceptance that things can happen in a different order than the one you have in mind.“ — David G. Allen
Here in Austria, all events are cancelled. Some of my friends even had to postpone their weddings. However, this doesn’t mean that our lives are constricted forever.
Yes, it’s a hard time, but the more we refrain from right now, the more we can enjoy life once the pandemic is over.
Your wedding might be cancelled, you might have to rescind your long-awaited holiday, or your business might be suffering, but these things are not permanent.
If you manage to stay calm, focus on the positive, and try to find solutions instead of worries, you’ll get all of these fantastic experiences back once the danger of the virus declines.
“Everything we do is infused with the energy with which we do it. If we’re frantic, life will be frantic. If we’re peaceful, life will be peaceful.” — Marianne Williamson
Even if you don’t leave your house, your energy matters.
Instead of feeling sorry for yourself, and blaming external circumstances for your misery, focus on raising your own vibration. Do what makes you feel alive, listen to your favourite music, dance, open your windows, and let the sunshine in; call your favourite people, do what you love.
Nobody can prohibit positivity and good vibes. Let’s make use of this power and stay focused and peaceful, even if we must stay at our homes to save lives.
“Stop a minute, right where you are. Relax your shoulders, shake your head and spine like a dog shaking off cold water. Tell that imperious voice in your head to be still.“ — Barbara Kingsolver
Sometimes, we need to remind ourselves to be realistic and calm instead of freaking out. And sometimes, we even need to ignore the little fearful voice in our heads.
Instead of sinking into worries, let’s get active, move our bodies through some home-workouts, take deep breaths, do meditations, shake off, and remind ourselves that this situation is not permanent.
Even though we are facing challenges, it’s all going to be fine.
“Panic causes tunnel vision. Calm acceptance of danger allows us to more easily assess the situation and see the options.“ — Simon Sinek
The more you panic, the less you can help others (and yourself). Now is the perfect time to prove your mental strength and stay strong.
Once you accept difficult situations, you will start to come up with ideas on how to handle the struggles. Even if your family and friends freak out, you can provide solutions if you decide to stay calm despite troubles.
Decide to be the one who is well-informed but not overly emotional so that you can provide help when someone in your close proximity needs it.
“Life is ten percent what you experience and ninety percent how you respond to it.” ―Dorothy M. Neddermeyer
Nobody was prepared for the coronavirus. I guess all of us are shocked by how quickly the virus spread across the globe and affected our lives.
The whole world is facing a challenge, but how we use this situation is entirely up to us.
Yes, some people are dying, and some are losing their parents, grandparents, and beloved ones. And even more people will lose their jobs, their businesses, and their financial stability.
However, at the same time, there will also be a few big winners. Instead of feeling sorry for themselves and being lazy, some people will choose to make the best out of the situation and be the corona winners.
My boyfriend and I, for example, are using all our time to work on our business. And as we are in self-quarantine, we are working many more hours than usual.
If we stay at home for a few more days or even weeks, we will have made some significant improvements in our business, which would’ve taken us many more months without the coronavirus and social isolation.
In every difficult situation, we can choose how we react and what we make out of it.
Instead of burying our heads in the sand, let’s find ways to use these times effectively, no matter if that means building your online business, getting into shape through home-workouts, spending time with your loved ones, or reading some great books.
“Have confidence that if you have done a little thing well, you can do a bigger thing well too.“ — David Storey
Even though hardly anyone has experienced a pandemic similar to the coronavirus ever before, we have all mastered several challenges throughout our lives — small ones and big ones.
Unfortunately, we often tend to forget our accomplishments and instead focus on the things that don’t go well, but now is the best time to remind ourselves of all the problematic things we have had the strength to overcome in the past.
If we are confident enough and trust in our abilities, we will also master these times successfully.
“With the realization of one’s own potential and self-confidence in one’s ability, one can build a better world.” — Dalai Lama
Maybe now is the best time to strengthen our self-confidence and trust in ourselves. Instead of spreading fear and negative news, you could be the source of joy and happiness in your community by inspiring positive change.
“Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath.“ — Michael Caine
I like ducks. I don’t know why, but I love watching them, especially when they put their heads underwater. Maybe that’s why I also love this quote so much.
I am convinced that staying calm and being mindful is the best we can do right now. There’s no sense in freaking out. We need to deal with the current circumstances, no matter if we like them or not.
Staying calm makes our lives easier. Yet, even if we stay calm, we can make productive use of our time in self-quarantine.
I know many people across the globe are currently isolating themselves. And that’s great, since this is the only way we can actually take control of the virus. Nevertheless, being in quarantine doesn’t mean you need to be lazy or unproductive. We can choose from thousands of productive activities to practice while staying at home.
You can acquire new skills through online courses, record an online course yourself, learn how to build a side income, start blogging on Medium, take care of your finances and do a reflection of your expenses in the past months, do some general self-reflection and create a vision board for the upcoming months, call a few friends or relatives you haven’t heard from some while, and so much more.
Let’s admit it: We have hundreds of productive ways to use our time during this corona crisis. Being at home surely doesn’t need to mean being lazy or unproductive.
If you take this time seriously, you might even be able to set up the foundation for a great future after the crisis is over. It just depends on how you use your time.