There is no better time than now to discuss this topic when the whole world is trying to combat the chaos created by Coronavirus Pandemic. Some of us blame the media for exaggerating everything in the news, some blame the governments for not taking proper measures. Some are living in total panic and stress mode, while others are totally indifferent to the situation. As a matter of fact, it is not the media's fault; they are not exaggerating bad news. They are just reporting the facts and calamities. We feel they are exaggerating because they are only reporting bad news but if we look at the bright side and think logically, there are billions of people living on this planet. If the media reports everything great happening with these billions of people, there will be an infinite amount of news to publish. Compared to that, hardly 10% of the people are currently suffering, so it is easy to report the bad news compared to good ones because bad news is limited. We just need to switch our thought process. 

Also, be cautious of following medical advice given by unqualified professionals on social media like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, LinkedIn. Every day there are several non-medical professionals giving medical advice on how to recover from the infection or how to stop getting infected from the virus. Beware of trusting everything you read on social media or the internet. Believing everything which is posted on the internet is like drinking from a fire hydrant. If you are one of many who treat social media and google as your advisor, you will choke on misinformation. Trust information from valid sources. Google should not be your financial, medical, or relationship advisor. Google is a search engine, not an advice engine.

If we learn to control our thoughts even when the situation is not under control, nothing can phase us. Outside situations should not control our emotions but rather our emotional stability should empower us to overcome situations of life. In times like this, I remember a famous quote, “ Tough times never last but tough people do”. When our Emotional stability is independent of our situations, we will not be stressed and will be able to boost our wellness. Emotionally stable people can remain calm under pressure and can respond to any situation instead of reacting to it. Our ability to remain calm and happy in any situation will give us the gift of emotional, mental, physical and social wellness. 

Here are a few tips on how to remain calm amidst chaos:-

1) First and foremost, make a decision to train your mind to develop emotional stability. It’s easier said than done and it will require a lot of practice, discipline, as well as, mindfulness. It will require you to mentally slow down and check your thoughts every now and then because your emotional stability will depend on the quality of your thoughts. Your thoughts become feelings. So, whenever you feel low or sad, check your thoughts. Your feelings will become actions and your actions will become habits and your habits will form your destiny.

2) Make a decision to protect your mind by controlling what you feed to it. Your thoughts depend on what you put into your mind. Do you know the term GIGO? Garbage In, Garbage Out. We use the 5 senses to feed our minds. Touch, Sight, Smell, Hearing, and Taste. We must control what goes in through these 5 senses to protect our minds. Don’t watch or listen to the news in the morning or before going to bed. Also, you don’t need to stay updated on the news every half an hour. By making this small change, you will cut down on the negative input drastically. Don’t participate in gossip or backbiting. 

3) Breathe consciously. When any negative thought comes to your mind, you will realize it because you will start getting depressed, stressed or anxious. So be mindful of your feelings and track your thoughts when you are feeling low. Practice pranayama or coherent breathing, when you are feeling low.

4) Switch your thoughts by focusing on your blessings. During any given day, 7 out of 10 things go in our favor but we have been conditioned by our environment to focus on what is going wrong. Practice attitude of gratitude to switch your focus to optimism. Savor moments of joy. Be present in the now. When you are worried, chances are you are living in the future. When you are sad or depressed, chances are you are living in the past. It’s okay to plan for the future and set goals but live in the now. Also, it is okay to visit the past sometimes to learn from our mistakes but don’t live there.

5) Take time out for yourself. Practice self-care. It can be as simple as taking a bubble bath, going for a walk, exercising, watching a comedy movie or listening to music. Take out 20-30 minutes every day to do whatever makes you feel light and joyful.

6) Process your emotions. Don’t suppress them but also don’t express them without processing and understanding them first. For example, There is no need to express your anger as soon as you feel angry with someone. Instead, take deep breaths, regain your emotional stability and then process your emotions by asking yourself questions on what made you feel a certain way. This will give you the ability to handle any situation in a mature way. 

7) Listen to your body. If you are hungry, nourish it with good quality nutritious food. If you are thirsty, drink good quality water and if you are tired, take a break and rest. If you feel restless, go for a walk or exercise. A healthy body will give you the gift of a healthy mind and visa versa.

8) Last but not least, take out some time every day to meditate. Mediation is a method to quiet the mind. It is a way to recharge or to slow down so that we can speed up. Mediation is the journey from noise to silence. Meditation improves physical and emotional health. Promotes a healthy immune system. Also, meditation improves physical health as it lowers inflammation, lowers blood pressure, strengthens our immune system, reduces autoimmune diseases.

Wishing you all a long healthy, happy, and happening life. Feel free to contact, if you want to boost your wellness and improve productivity.