It’s time to focus on our mental health.

Mental health is as important as physical health, maybe even more important. This invisible viral enemy is creating massive stress and anxiety all over the world. Stress and anxiety are negative emotions that, if experienced for a prolonged period of time, will eventually affect your physical body. We don’t want that.

We need to keep in mind that this too will pass. This may feel like the end of the world as we know it but it’s not the end of the world. A few years from now we’ll be looking back at this global pandemic as just another bizarre and terrifying bump on the road of history. But that is then, this is now. What can we do now to find peace in a world of chaos? And more importantly: What can we do as human beings on planet earth to use this time to create a better world out of the fire and ashes that are accumulating around us. Phoenix rising — anyone?

Pull Quote

One way to overcome the anxiety caused by the coronavirus, especially if you are being forced to stay at home, is to take this precious time off from the “rat race” and focus on your own mental growth and wellbeing.

One way to overcome the anxiety caused by the coronavirus, especially if you are being forced to stay at home, is to take this precious time off from the “rat race” and focus on your own mental growth and wellbeing. It might be time to read a few self-help or positive thinking books or a novel that takes you to a better place. Search online for something that interests you. Or, for laughs (always good medicine) my I suggest my favorite (PG) stand-up comedian Jim Gaffigan. Or better yet, start writing that novel you’ve been putting off for years. It will be therapeutic, I assure you.

One thing we should all learn from this crisis is the realization that you are not in total control of all the forces in the world that affect your peace of mind and wellbeing. You are not alone. The whole world is in a state of confusion and fear as the fallout of the coronavirus is stressing us to the breaking point. You’re facing the unknown and some of you are afraid of what’s going to happen next. Welcome to life 101.

What can you do? What can calm your fears? We could start with the wisdom of the serenity prayer: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.” You didn’t create this mess, but you can make a difference by the attitude you bring to it. If “suffering” really is our teacher, then there must be a lot for us to learn right now. Let’s be positive and use this time of suffering to grow in wisdom and recognize the opportunities: to give more, encourage more, meditate more, pray more, to read and learn more and ultimately to love more! And if we can do that, then something good can come from this crisis. Lemonade?

But what else can we actually do to keep our composure? We can do what we’ve been told to do by our government, wash our hands and keep our distance from others, but is there anything else? Here is an idea that’s very positive from a mental health point of view. Let’s think about ways to reach out to help others who may not be as fortunate as we are. This is tricky because of the “social distancing” requirement; however, by shifting your focus from yourself to others, and finding ways to give, you’ll forget yourself in the service to others and you’ll feel great about it. The saying, “it’s more blessed to give than to receive” is a known fact by the givers. Simply picking up the phone and reaching out to old friends and checking up on them, making sure they are OK, is something we can all do. You’ll lift their spirits and yours as well. Or write actual letters or emails to people you care about but haven’t touched base with for too long.

You may have noticed the many articles popping up in the press lately, highlighting the altruistic behavior of people who are being generous with their time and energy on behalf of others. The pandemic has led to acts of kindness around the world, from school children delivering soup to the elderly in the UK to an exercise class held for quarantined residents in Spain and neighbors spontaneous singing and dancing on their balconies in Italy. In our community, mobilization has begun, delivering food to families, making hand sanitizers at the Adrift distillery, the quilt guilders putting their scraps of fabric to use in making masks, as well as all of the small gestures of support.

Yes, these kind acts of humanity are what life is really all about. Love and caring for others is the secret to happiness and fulfillment and I’m sure if you look around with caring eyes, you’ll have no problem finding ways/opportunities to help those less fortunate than yourself. Try it, you’ll like the way it makes you feel — and it will definitely improve your mental health and wellbeing: guaranteed! Remember, love is a verb — an active verb.

Peninsula resident John Wilkins is author of “To Thine Own Health Be True” and founder and CEO of Our Passion For Health, a nonprofit public health organization dedicated to providing public health solutions for the betterment of mankind. www.ourpassionforhealth.org. Send questions and comments to: john@ourpassionforhealth.org.