The truth is, this is all new to us. The coronavirus pandemic and the consequences of it so far are unlike anything we’ve ever experienced, even though this obviously isn’t the first crisis that the world has faced. The collective trauma that we all go through right now is real, but when you think about it, each and every one of us is fighting a different battle.
We are all trying to cope with the new realities while at the same time grieving the loss of our old ones. We do that by following our basic instincts to survive. We create daily habits that are good for us, we choose to focus on the bright side of the story, we spend more time with our loved ones, and we socialize with other people online. However, some people don’t have it that easy in life. Some struggle to simply go through another day. To get up, find a will to live, do something that makes them happy, be present and focus on self-care…
That’s why, we felt that it’s of big relevance to research how mentally strong people respond to this crisis and how they cope with it. Here are some suggestions that may help you get out of your chaos and see things from a different perspective.
It’s no doubt that this is a truly terrifying period for us all, but it is up to us to choose whether we’ll let it destroy us or help us rise to an even higher level.
1. They limit their daily media and news exposure. The truth is, there are two main predictors that can tell how a person is likely to respond in a certain crisis, in this case the pandemic. The first is determined by their vulnerability before the crisis. And the second one is determined by how exposed they are to news and media. Mentally strong people have no issues with this since they are absolutely aware of how badly can news and media impact someone’s life. That’s why they ignore being exposed to news for a long time and are very careful about choosing a reliable source.
2. They are aware of their feelings and accept them as normal. Mentally strong people don’t let the global panic around the world drive them mad. They know that right now each and every one of us is going through a personal trauma, which ultimately leads to a collective trauma and fear. That’s is exactly why they choose to process all of these feelings and just accept them as their current reality instead of denying them.
3. They don’t put extra pressure on themselves to be productive. We see a lot of people using this time to upgrade themselves, excel in their dream careers, challenge themselves, learn something new, and put simply, to create a better version of themselves. But what if some people can’t do all of this? Does that mean they’re a failure? Of course, it doesn’t. Mentally strong people are here to prove that this is not the time to pressure ourselves to produce or achieve something. It’s the time to just be ourselves.
4. They are very careful about who they choose to follow. They don’t believe everything they hear or see. Instead they carefully examine the sources from where they get the information and then choose to form an opinion about who or what they are going to follow.
5. They focus on facts, not fear. They don’t let their emotions get the best of them. It’s not that they have no emotions. They just aren’t afraid of what might happen. As long as they know the facts, as long as they are aware of the rules and respect them, they’ll be fine.
6. They stay away from toxic people. Far, far away from individuals who enjoy spreading fear and panicking people about what might eventually happen. The truth is, we all have a person like this in our lives. And it is up to us to decide whether we’ll tolerate their toxicity and let them stay or we’ll cut them off completely and isolate ourselves from their toxic energy once and for all.
7. They take care of themselves. Both mentally and physically. Being quarantined may be a blessing to some, but a curse to others. Some people enjoy their time home, cooking and cleaning, and working out, but some are struggling to even survive the day. This is why we must understand that the first most important thing we must do in this period is to listen to our inner voice and take care of ourselves. Self-care can come in any form. As long as doing something brings us joy, it is the right thing to do. Whether it’s yoga, practicing, drawing, walking or running, it is your call.
