While Ian & I are typically known for our YouTube channel on self-sustainability & remodeling our own home, we’re changing up our tune a bit this week to promote positivity during Covid-19. Fear not, the images used below are my own.
Well, as of 5pm last night, my workplace closed its doors until the Covid-19 pandemic is over. I work as a personal trainer, so there’s not much we can do if we can’t meet with our clients. Immediately following the announcement, there was a lot of silence among our team of trainers. The uncertainty, nerves, and tension started to take root. But it didn’t take long for this positivity-minded, fitness-centered group of people to nip it in the bud, pick each other up, and move forward with a great attitude. That’s exactly why I love working with them. They immediately helped me see the power of positivity during Covid-19.
Positivity During Covid-19 Pandemic
Positivity really is contagious. So is negativity. During trying times, it’s more important than ever to discipline our thoughts, and focus on the good wherever possible. The mind is incredibly powerful, and now is as good a time as any to start practicing mental discipline. I’m not in any way trying to minimize the tragedies happening all over the globe from this pandemic. Human lives are being lost. Mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, sons and daughters. My heart aches for these families, and aches for them even more knowing that cold internet voices are naively trying to minimize their pain by discounting the situation. Any and every loss is painful, and deserving of mourning. Cold keyboard warriors are too weak to handle heartache, and turn to pretending it doesn’t exist as a coping mechanism. That’s not what I’m here to do.
I’m here to voice the light able to emerge from dark times. Although this pandemic isn’t nearly as bad as many in the past so far, it’s certainly unprecedented for our time. Let’s be mindful of the lessons it can teach us as we navigate it, right here, right now. These are powerful skills we can take with us on the other side, if we are willing to learn them.
1. We’re Learning to Work as a Community.
We’re very fortunate that Covid-19 doesn’t attack the general population equally. It means the majority of us do not have to live in fear right now. But that doesn’t mean we should discount it completely. In order to “flatten the curve” and slow the spread for vulnerable populations, everyone has to work as a team. Those with less risk are running errands, offering supplies and promoting responsible social isolation in order to protect the elderly. Some grocery stores are offering seniors-only shopping hours to give them access to necessities. We’re cleaning and sanitizing everything. Strangers are offering no-longer-needed products like diapers to those who cannot find them in stores. We’re buying gift certificates to the small businesses we love to help them get through this difficult time. These are perfect examples of positivity during Covid-19.
Although the selfishness of panic-hoarders is the first thing in the news, there are plenty of unsung heroes helping out their neighbors. We don’t always get this opportunity. And now that we’re seeing how important it is, we have the chance to make it a habit for the rest of our lives.
2. We’re Tackling Odd Jobs.
How long have you wanted to clean out that closet? Paint that room? Hang those photos? Start that business? How long has it been since you gave your home a good, deep clean. Not just vacuum and mop — I’m talking dusting, windows, and getting into all the nooks & crannies. For those of us who are out of work, we can make some much-needed changes to our living environment that will promote mental clarity for months, if not years to come. Even those of us who can work from home are spared the commute. Let’s make great use of that extra time, and take care of the possessions we do have, rather than focusing on buying more like we usually do.
3. We’re Appreciating Our Loved Ones. And Telling Them We Do.
Just about all of us have a loved-one over 60. Or someone with one of many conditions this virus targets. After the initial “well this doesn’t threaten me, so I don’t have to worry about it” passes, we remember those we love so deeply who it does threaten. And we remember how much they mean to us. Those parents, grandparents, aunts & uncles who we haven’t called in a while — well, now we’re calling. We’re video chatting. We’re asking how they’re doing every day, throughout the day. Let’s keep this up, long after this current threat passes.
4. Bipartisan Politics is Making a Comeback.
Talk about surprising positivity during Covid-19. It wasn’t even a month ago that many of us would’ve said politics were the most polarized they’ve been in our lifetime. We’ve blocked and unfollowed fellow humans we love, due to the boiling hot rhetoric circling the internet. In the face of this universal threat, the political scene has cooled. Miraculously, many democrats and republicans are working together for the first time in ages in an attempt to provide relief to the American people. Sure, it isn’t perfect. And sure, it probably won’t last forever. But to see even the slightest improvement in this area is a much-needed reminder that we’re all on the same team.
5. We’re Finally Appreciating the Backbone Workers of the Nation.
Truckers. Healthcare workers. Delivery drivers. Teachers. Shelf stockers. Suddenly, in the face of uncertainty, we realize how much they do for us, and how badly we need them. I’m not here to bash professional athletes and the entertainment industry. But let’s be real. These industries are a luxury. By definition, we’re just fine without them. And yet, we tend to worship them when everything is running smoothly. How often do we overlook the everyday heroes who keep food on our tables and toilet paper in our bathrooms? The first responders and healthcare workers who don’t flinch at being the first in the line of duty in the face of a health scare? Normally, we don’t give them much of a second thought. But right now, we are more grateful for them than ever before. They’re continuing to deliver supplies and care as we realize how badly we need it, and how much we take for granted. I hope we don’t lose sight of this when it’s over.
6. We’re Forced to Stop and Smell the Roses.
How many times a day do we wish we could just press “pause”? Just have another day at home with our spouse or our kid. Take a good hour to walk the dog. How many days have we longed for a chance to sit down, stare at the wind in the trees, and not have to get up and do anything? This, folks, right here, is the closest we’re going to get. Take this eerie lull to stop and appreciate the little things. Take a deep breath. Meditate. Practice yoga. Heck, make your own list of ways to choose positivity during Covid-19. When we stop to appreciate the simplest of moments, we realize what it really means to be alive and present. To me, this might be the most refreshing part of this experience so far. We’re actually pausing to live again.
7. We’re Learning to be Better Prepared.
No, that doesn’t mean buying 500 rolls of toilet paper. Ian and I were passionate about preparedness long before this pandemic ever took effect. For us, it means keeping at least a 60-day supply of organized food in the basement at all times. It means practicing self-sufficiency skills like growing our own food, so we’re rehearsed if the need comes. It means carrying personal protection and emergency first aid on our person and in our vehicles, as well as training regularly to use both. Rotating spare fuel and water. Knowing the P.A.C.E. plans. These examples are just the tip of the iceberg, and we still have a long way to go. We love following Fieldcraft Survival for everyday, realistic preparedness. Real “preppers” would laugh us out of the room. We’re not preppers. But we do believe in being prepared, not scared. As Fieldcraft Survival always says, when the crap hits the fan, you are your own first response.
This pandemic is a wonderfully gentle reminder that life on earth will not always be butterflies and rainbows. We need to be prepared for just how difficult it can get. And we’re truly fortunate to have had it so easy that we typically don’t feel the need.
8. New Remote Jobs Are Getting A Trial Run.
In times like these, we all need to be a little flexible. Businesses and corporations alike are allowing employees to work from home in positions where it wasn’t previously permitted. We all function differently, and some people are more productive working from home than in an office setting. Many people will likely find that their job has more flexibility after the isolation recommendations pass. It just may take a pandemic to show corporations that work without a commute can, in some cases, be more beneficial for all parties involved.
9. We’re Reevaluating Major Life Choices.
No, most of our lives aren’t directly threatened right now. But we’re having to face the fact that life is fragile, and it doesn’t last forever. With a moment to pause, we’re asking ourselves the tough questions. Is this career really the one I want to be in until I retire? What about my relationships? Am I getting enough time doing the things that really matter to me, with the ones who I love most? It’s easy to get caught up in a routine, and suppress our truest passions for the sake of keeping up with the joneses. If you’ve been getting the urge to make major life changes during this pause, you’re not alone — and it may be for good reason.
10. We’re Learning To Be More Financially Responsible.
Wastefulness is a luxury to which we have become all too accustomed. While the economy boomed for the past few years, we got pretty comfortable with spending. Now that many of us are out of a paycheck, we just have to reign it back in a bit. Ian and I feel very fortunate to have been raised to forego luxuries like extra vacations and nights at the bar in order to keep a comfortable financial cushion for times like these. We will be okay. But now I can’t stop thinking about all the unnecessary spending I’ve done over the past couple years. My life is certainly no worse off now that I can’t go out and buy my every immediate desire. I’m grateful for this time, where I’m reminded how to practice financial discipline.
Also, with grocery stores in their current state, we’re much more methodic about how we use our resources. There will be no wasting fresh produce that goes bad because we felt like eating packaged crap instead. We’re planning meals and using food wisely. We’re very spoiled, as a generation, to have gone this long in bountiful supply. This very gentle lesson against wastefulness is one we can all take into life after COVID-19, as well.
Choosing Positivity During Covid-19, In Summary
Regardless of your current situation, you can always choose positivity during Covid-19 season. Intentionally spreading optimism and teamwork during this chapter is just as important as preventing the spread of the virus. Let’s take advantage of all our digital resources to check in on each other and lift each other up. And most importantly, let’s take these valuable lessons with us into the next season of plenty, as well.
What are you doing to promote positivity during Covid-19 pandemic? Donating blood? Supporting local business? We need all the ideas we can get!
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Disclaimer: We’re not professionals or experts on this topic, so all we can do is share our own personal experience in hopes that it helps you in your journey! We always recommend consulting with the pros directly.
THANK YOU so much for this. Everything you mention is right on and I’m glad I was reminded about a lot of the points you’ve made. Taking one day at a time here while making an extra effort to connect with loved one’s. (I tried looking up what P.A.C.E. without any luck but I did visit the website you mentioned) Thanks!!!