How to Ease the Stress, Fear & Uncertainty During This Time

LaWann Moses 0:05
Hey Mama, this LaWann. I’m back with you with a very special bonus episode.

Today let’s talk about this crazy virus that is taken the nation. The Coronavirus, COVID-19 is taking over and assets shutting down everything. People are panicking, run into the stores buying out all kinds of things that they may not even need it This moment. Like have we figured out why everyone is buying all the toilet paper? I think that’s the number one question on the minds of many Americans these days. However, in this unknown time, it is almost natural for fear, panic, and similar emotions to take over.

But I want to encourage you today to don’t give in to that fear.  Don’t panic, just stay prepared. There are many different reports out there so much information. And in this world of social media, it is so easy to fall prey to information overload, to come in contact with information that is false and to just really naturally panic. But it’s important that you vet all your new sources so that you can decipher the truth from the lies so that you are not walking around in unnecessary panic, unnecessary fear because of something you read on social Media, that may not necessarily be true. Things that we do know is that this virus is highly contagious and certain populations are more vulnerable than others. And right now we’re at the time where we are trying to flatten the curve, and practice what is called social distancing. Social distancing is limiting our interactions with the outside with the public, and in large groups. And as America as a whole, this is hard to do, we are so used to bonding over sports events, parties, concerts, those type of things, that this whole idea of being locked down quarantine, not being able to be around groups of people, just adds to a whole new level of fear. 

But I just want to encourage you today. Don’t get into that fear. Don’t be overcome by that fear. Fear will drive you crazier than what’s actually happening in the world. So it’s important to decipher the truth from the lies. And what we are seeing that we probably have never witnessed before in our lifetime. Our schools being closed down, families being home together for two weeks a month. Who knows how long? Because we’re trying to slow the spread and flatten this curve. Yes, we’re used to summer breaks. We’re used to summer vacation. We’re used to spring break. But the idea of something being shut down because there is a highly contagious disease that has gone around. It’s just blowing many of our minds. But I encourage you, again, do not give in to that fear. There are so many what is some of the things that we don’t know. But there is so much information that we do know. So educate yourself, get the resources so that you’re not going crazy with the what ifs and why you’re home with your family, home with your kids. 

I encourage you to just make the most of this time Now we’ll find that some colleges, some schools, right now have online learning, distance learning online curriculum, while others are just closed right now and have not released a plan for any distance learning. Either situation is okay. As a parent, you do what you can do. As a mother, you do what you can do. Don’t feel pressured to have this strict schedule for your kids because you feel that is what you need to do. Yes, if school is going on, they would be in school sticking to a certain schedule, but it is okay in dealing with everything that’s going on to not have it all figured out right now. You can work towards a plan. You can implement things such as having your kids read books, having them do work online, or even taking advantage of the many free educational resources that are being released from different agencies. Learning doesn’t have to stop, but I don’t want you to feel pressured to perform. It’s a lot It’s unexpected. And it’s natural to feel out of control. But again, don’t give in to that fear. 

Many Americans are also facing the what ifs. of not knowing what’s gonna happen with their job, what’s gonna happen with our industry and what’s going to happen with the economy. It’s a scary time, because jobs start closing, things start shutting down, then people are being left without paychecks, without money, without income without a way to provide for their families. And that’s natural to invoke fear and worry in even the most faithful person. I encourage you to get out there, get on Google, get on the internet, start looking at ways that you can make some money from home. If you didn’t know now is a greater time than ever, to start your own business. To put those skills to work, to build your own legacy, to create your own revenue streams. It is the world of opportunity, the computer or the enter with the computer with the internet, you can easily start a business in minutes.

So if you have any skills, any talents, I encourage you now to dive deep look into those skills and talents. Check out some business coaching programs, or just things that you can find online to help you get started and generating revenue streams today. We don’t know what’s gonna happen tomorrow. We don’t know what’s gonna happen next week. So I just encourage you to control the things that you can control. Don’t freak out. Don’t panic. Just be prepared. As they say, stay ready so you don’t have to get ready. I encourage you just to remain as calm as you can. It’s gonna be okay. We will get through this. We will survive this but Now it’s up to us to do what we can to flatten the curve to slow the spread. So watch out for our vulnerable populations so that those of us that are able bodied and perhaps healthier are not passing on this horrific virus to the elderly population. The older adults are people like me that suffer from a chronic illness. It’s easy to let fear consume you. It’s easy to get caught up in everything. So here are just a few steps I want to leave you with as we are navigating covid-19.

Number one, it’s okay to disconnect. Take a break, turn off the news, log off of Facebook, log out of Instagram. Turn Twitter off and just disconnect from social media disconnect from everything. There is a such thing as information overload That can cause panic. And that can just have you sitting in fear. It’s natural to want to stay informed. And I do encourage you to stay informed. But when you find yourself obsessing, worrying, and just losing your mind basically over all that you’re seeing, become self aware and recognize that, hey, I may need to disconnect right now. We’re in the world of Netflix, in the world of Disney plus, on demand, those types of things. Gather your family together, watch a movie, binge watch your favorite shows, and just disconnect from all the craziness that is going on. You don’t have to shut down completely because you do want to stay informed. But I encourage you do not obsess over this. Stay informed. But don’t become obsessed. It’s okay to disconnect. It’s okay to walk away. Turn off your devices and just spend time and enjoy your family with these moments that you have right now, being home together.

Number two, if you’re worried about income, if you’re worried about where paycheck is gonna come from, if you don’t know what’s gonna happen, I encourage you to look at what skills you have, look at the things you have to offer, and start building your business. Find multiple ways to generate some income so that you’re not depending on a job to give you a paycheck. It’s hard, but it’s not as hard as it used to be. You can literally start a business, start a website in minutes, let people know what you have going on, put up some services and let people know that you’re open for business. Yes, there are some legal things you have to handle and step that you have to go through. But it is easy to start a business as a sole proprietor and get up and running today.You Don’t want to find yourself in a situation where you’re wondering what’s going to happen next. I know we’re already asking that question. And I know it’s scary. But right now recognize that if you get on top of it, get ahead of it. And start building so that you can have something separate from that job that you go to every day. 

And number three, I encourage you to stay faithful, stay prayed up, and just focus on the spiritual being, whether it’s God or some other spiritual being that you believe in. To get you through this. Process prior is important. Prayer is essential. And along with prayer, you have to exercise wisdom. Yes, God gave us faith. God told us to pray, we pray to god but God also gave us wisdom and discernment. And we have to know that where it says Faith without works is dead. We can believe We can have faith, we can have prep, we can pray. But at the end of the day, we also have to do the work. So this is since doing the work means taking whatever steps you can, whatever control that you can to help minimize the spread and flatten the curve. Yes, God is going to get us through this. If you have not read Psalm 91, I encourage you to go read that right now for a little encouragement. 

But while God is getting us through this, we also have to do our part as human beings that are walking this earth to minimize our social interactions, perhaps self impose self quarantines if we’re feeling sick in any way and it’s up to us to self quarantine ourselves, so that we are not spreading this disease. We’ve had contact with anyone that has tested positive for this virus, then impose a self quarantine That is something you do have control over. You have control over not spreading this any further. So stay educated. Do your part. Let’s get this curve flatten so we can get back to business as usual. No one wants to live in fear. No one wants to wonder when their job is going to reopen. We don’t want this to be permanent. So if we want to see this coronavirus, and see these things come to a resolve, and it’s up to us to do our part. To minimize the spread. We can blame it on the government. We can all point fingers. But at this point, we’re all in this together. So no amount of shaming, no amount of finger pointing. No a lot of blaming is going to do anything. We just have to do what we can now to flatten the curve.

Don’t panic, but stay prepared.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai