The pandemic has been an all-consuming experience for many people over the last year or so. We went from living relatively care-free lives to having to deal with a serious disease that could touch any one of us.
Stopping worrying about it seems impossible and for good reason: it’s seeping into every aspect of our lives, from politics to health to the way we relate to each other. It’s even made us change how we work.
But dealing with COVID anxiety is absolutely possible. In fact, it’s something that millions of people are doing already. So what should you do?
Accept That Life Implies Death
Pandemics have a nasty habit of waking people from their existential slumber and reminding them of their mortality. There’s a massive taboo around dying in our society – which probably explains the extreme reaction to the pandemic. We must survive at all costs, we tell ourselves. And so politicians are cracking down hard on anyone who simply wants to live freely.
But all of this fuss denies a simple truth – life implies death. From the moment we’re born, it’s guaranteed. So there’s no point clinging to it with all our might. Letting go allows us to live more joyfully and peacefully right now, instead of worrying all the time about what might happen in the future.
Know That You Control Your Thoughts
All of our experiences occur in our minds. Everything we see, touch, and smell is a mental abstraction or representation.
The same is true of our thoughts. Nobody makes us think anything. Instead, our brains generate our thoughts from within.
Unfortunately, we sometimes come to believe that our thoughts control our experience of life. Something unpleasant comes up in our minds, like the fear of COVID, and we feel paralyzed, panicked, and fearful.
We need to remember that how our minds work is very much a personal decision. The ideas that we have shape mould our destiny and our future. So taking control of them totally changes your experience of the rest of reality.
Get Tested
If you start getting symptoms, like a fever and worry that you might have the coronavirus, you can get a private COVID test. Having one done can be a great way to allay your fear short-term or get treatment if you need it.
Step Away From The Media
Watching and listening to the media every day can provoke you to experience enormous quantities of anxiety and panic. Every day, pundits are telling you that the world is a serious and violent place and that you’re just a helpless bystander.
That’s not true at all though. You’re not helpless in the world. And it’s actually getting safer and more productive if you look at the statistics.
Try switching off your TV and blocking notifications on your phone. You’ll be amazed at the difference it makes.
In general, most people are worried about the pandemic. But these things tend to happen from time to time. The good news is that they always come to an end and life returns to normal.
