The outbreak of the Coronavirus and subsequent period of self-isolation to reduce the spread can be a stressful time for people. You may feel very lonely, or very isolated during this time. I know for me, I miss seeing my extended family and friends. My son isn't getting to play with his buddies at school. We are not interacting with others as we are usually accustomed to.
However, we do need to manage our mental health and find positive coping mechanisms to keep our emotions under control during this time.
There is a Cherokee legend that I think is very pertinent to managing emotions during this uncertain time. It is called "The One that You Feed."
One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.
He said, "My son, the battle is between two "wolves" inside us all.
One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"
The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."
So I am going to leave you with the question: which wolf will you feed? Will you feed the wolf of anxiety and stress, or will you feed the wolf of looking for the silver lining and being positive, and managing your emotions during this time?
Take a deep breath, and give yourself a break. These are stressful times. But it is important to take a step back and understand that this crisis is temporary, and we need to stay healthy, mentally as we bear through this period of self-isolation and uncertainty.
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