The impact of your attitude on mind and body during the COVID-19 crisis
My front window faces the street, and every day I see people walking their dogs. Maybe half a dozen people in all, giving their pups some exercise. But over the past week, since California went into “lockdown,” I’ve been completely in awe of how many people are walking. With dogs, without dogs, with children, alone, pushing strollers; It’s a wonder to behold, because along with the benefits of fresh air and exercise, these walkers boost their immune systems.
And what, besides following the CDC and WHO guidelines, protects you the most from COVID-19? Strengthen your immune system, which, simply put, is your body’s defense against disease. We already know that the coronavirus is most deadly among people with compromised or weakened immune systems. Maintaining/developing a strong immune system can go a long way in keeping us healthy.
That being said, you can only walk so much in a day. The gyms are closed, my two dance studios are closed, soccer games and other group sports are cancelled. Working out at home with YouTube videos is great, but again, you’re limited by how much “no pain, no gain” one is willing to put up with.
But here’s the good news: There are 2 things you can do right now in the privacy of your own home to significantly boost your immune system.
1. Institute the 5-minute Pity Party.
I don’t know about you, but my first response upon finding out that my ballet and ballroom classes were closed indefinitely was to call my best friend and complain. Noisily. For a good 15 minutes. Poor woman, I’m surprised we’re still best friends. Oddly enough, when all my work got cancelled, I didn’t have a breakdown, because at that point I still had dance to help keep me sane. But once the dance classes left, that’s it, I lost myself.
That’s when I knew I needed to institute the 5-minute Pity Party. The 5-minute pity party is when you recognize that you need to rant, rave, whine, and generally have a FIT about whatever aspect of your life has just been bombarded by the coronavirus. It doesn’t matter if it’s your job you can’t go to, your child who now depends on you 24/7 for all education, entertainment, maintenance, etc., or your gym/church /class you can’t go to. , it’s time for you to release your angish. Penalty fee.
Set a timer for 5 minutes. They have on it! In the safety of your shower, bathroom, parked car, wherever you have the utmost privacy, let it out. Cry out if you have to at the injustice of it all, lament your despair over what seems to be a hopeless situation, and cry out woe to me from the bottom of your heart. But when the timer goes off, it’s done. Rise off the ground of misery and regroup. Go to step 2.
2. Value what you can today for a better tomorrow.
There are actually 2 parts to this step. One is how you think/feel, the other is what you do.
A.Think/Feel
Look around. What can you appreciate about your life here and now? You still enjoy running water and electricity, you still have a roof over your head. Don’t let thoughts like “Yes, but for how long?” meddle. You still have the health you enjoy. You still have your friends/family. You have unlimited access to resources over the Internet. Meditate on what you can find to appreciate, value and be grateful for, because that one action alone will have a dramatic and positive impact on your immune system.
You see, when we think/feel negativity, our immune system suffers. And when our immune systems stop working optimally, our health can rapidly deteriorate. So reinforce your positive thinking as much as you can. Become an optimist. Because optimists thrive, and so should you.
B.do
Be creative! What is the best possible use of the time you now have? Many are finding that with a little creativity they can continue some or all of their business using online platforms primarily from home. There are always projects that we leave behind due to lack of time, how about picking up some of those now?
Make daily (realistic) lists of what you want to accomplish and check off items as you complete them. You’ll feel productive, like you’re not just spinning the wheels, and with that, your immune system will benefit. In the long run, so will your life.
In every crisis, there is an opportunity for new growth, new inspiration. Let’s keep our moments of dark despair as short as possible and extend our times of gratitude as much as possible so that we emerge from this challenging situation stronger and better than ever.