In the twinkling of an eye, everything changed. The world as we knew it came to a grinding halt, quite literally. The extension of the lockdown triggered by Covid-19 has left many floundering on how to manage in a chaotic environment, devoid of familiar routines and predictable outcomes.
Ironically, clues on coping are found in the Chinese proverb “If you work hard enough at it, you can grind even an iron rod down to a needle.” This implies enormous reserves of psychological strength, stamina and flexibility.
Let us explore a few ways to develop a mindset that can help us remain afloat in troubled waters:
1. Face the unpleasant
It’s necessary to take stock of reality, however disagreeable, that we are in the midst of an unprecedented global crisis, with an invisible enemy called Coronavirus, and that no amount of wishful thinking will make it disappear.
2. Accept changes
Our entire way of living has been disrupted. Every area of our daily activity has been severely impacted, starting from our homes and offices to shops and schools, from theatres and restaurants to public spaces and beyond. This is truly disconcerting and overwhelming. We have no control over the socio-economic landscape whatsoever, but we do wield full power over our responses to the outside events. Recognise this and make intelligent choices.
Depending on the intensity and extent of the damage, fear and panic may also arise. Acceptance of the untoward developments and awareness of our emotional triggers to them, will help pave the way to solutions.
3. Be proactive
Boost your immunity by physical fitness regimes including ‘yogic pranayama’ to strengthen the respiratory system. Increase your circle of competency, by stepping out of your comfort zone and learning new skills. Summon the courage to adapt to whatever the situation demands. For instance, this may require a CEO of a multinational, to do mundane domestic chores and a housewife to make an unfamiliar investment decision.
4. Cultivate an attitude of gratitude
An overload of news about disasters leads to an oversaturation of dismal feelings, and stressful overthinking. Gratitude helps us to gravitate towards balance and positivity.
We can start by being grateful for simply being alive and safe, and then move onto counting our blessings for all the things we took for granted pre-covid, such as freedom of movement and travel, the joy of sharing hugs, the carefree gatherings at parties, weddings, conferences and temples.
Gratitude will make us look for the silver lining in this lockdown period. It could be an opportunity to bond deeper with our family, have the free time to indulge in a hobby, reconnect with an old friend, or avail of a special online masterclass offered during this pandemic period only.
5. Strengthen your faith
It is essential to be anchored to ‘source’ and be nourished by grace, because external turbulence can only be countered by inner stillness. Prayers, meditation, reading a sacred text, chanting or any other spiritual practice on a daily basis would help us remain calm and centred.
Armed with a strong mind, we can step out into the ‘new normal’ with equanimity.
The beginning of a new normal
These past few weeks bear witness to the ‘work from home’ culture and homebound lifestyle, using webinars, net banking, e-commerce and a gamut of online services and digital portals. The month of May began with a news channel holding its first virtual pan India conference, followed by a premier business chamber going live with its ‘change of guard’ ceremony. The dependency on technology has skyrocketed.
A wide range of entertainment, has been aired for free public viewing for a select period, such as Shakespearean plays, Russian ballets, European operas, stellar shows from Las Vegas and African Safaris.
Modern age ‘gurus’ have reached out globally with messages of hope and love, through daily guided meditations, words of wisdom on raising one’s consciousness and spiritual ways to handle the pandemic effectively.
The human warriors
It’s heartwarming to see the collective efforts by NGOs, Trusts, Corporates, Chambers of Commerce and religious institutions, towards the mobilisation of food towards the needy. A Kolkatta-based women’s group reached basic supplies to the poor in the Sunderbans area. Enterprising youngsters have launched schemes wherein you pay in advance towards a natural product like honey and receive delivery at a later date, to collect funds for tribals in the remote corners of India. Talented children and professional artists are performing in charity concerts to raise funds for displaced daily wage earners. In every city, doctors have offered free telephonic consultation to anyone with medical doubts and the police force is working tirelessly to keep law and order, besides taking active care of senior citizens who live alone.
Stock markets are at their volatile best with an ongoing clash between Bulls and Bears. Pharma, Healthcare, FMCG , Technology and Telecom sectors are gaining attention. Aviation, Tourism, Real estate and the Hospitality industry are at a standstill. Auto, NBFC and Banking sector have taken a severe beating. Corporates are struggling to stand on their feet. A few factories have begun their operations adopting all safety measures to minimise risk, such as compulsory wearing of masks, sanitisation of hands and maintenance of social distancing by the work force. Unless unemployment is arrested, the chasm between the have’s and have-nots will widen.
Home delivery services for food and medical supplies have become indispensable. Hundreds of online workshops on cooking, diet and exercise, have suddenly mushroomed. Beauty and personal care has shifted to self-help kits.
These transitions will continue to grow in the ‘new normal’ in multiple subliminal ways. In fact, further economic downslide coupled with social distancing, may accelerate the need for Mental Healthcare in our society. The government is doing its best to strike a balance, juggling lives and livelihoods, by introducing incentives, cash inflows and policy reforms.
We shall overcome
I believe that the Covid crisis can act as a catalyst for us to become better human beings, with an humbled awareness of our finitude and insignificance on planet Earth; and give us a better understanding of being part of a global community that needs to respect and co-exist peacefully with Nature. All attempts to preserve our eco-system, such as organic farming, rainwater harvesting and solar energy units will gain prominence. A shift from uncontrollable material consumerism to a ‘back to basics’ lifestyle may emerge. Emphasis on prevention of disease through natural and herbal remedies along with superior technology at our fingertips, would be the norm of the day.
To wrap this up, the human spirit is indomitable and slowly but surely, we will overcome this pandemic by reinventing ourselves. Practical lifestyle changes along with psychological resilience and adjustments will definitely help in keeping one’s sanity in insane times. Life, no matter how shattered, is too precious to be surrendered. So let’s follow the advice expounded by St. Francis of Assisi: “Start by doing what’s necessary, then do what’s possible; and suddenly you’re doing the impossible.”
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Anuradha Pittie
Anuradha Pittie is a freelance interior designer, floral decorator and creative arts enthusiast.
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