Tag / Coronavirus

by letstalkabout”it”

How to Respond to Those People NOT Wearing Masks

So you got this clunky thing over your mouth that makes it difficult to breathe, right? It’s annoying, you feel like you’re in some apocalypse movie that you vaguely remember watching once and it’s not the 2020 fashion statement you thought you’d be making.

I get it. I get you, but no matter how sucky it is, we know that if it could be saving lives it is necessary. Let’s put the annoying mask thing into perspective y’all. Albeit even when we do that and put that mask on, we find many others do not. They don’t put it on because they think they’re exercising their 1st amendment right or because they think the rules are excessive or because they don’t believe in the risk of the virus (didn’t know we were all epidemiologists now).

We know people don’t believe in global warming while the ice caps melt. We know people don’t believe in racism while black people are being lynched and hunt down in the street. We know people don’t believe that a holocaust happened while there is a legacy of pictures and stories of heartache and atrocities. We know some people don’t believe that which might not be pretty to believe.

Well, believe me this, this virus is real. All of this is real y’all.

And for those of us who put on that darn mask – and honestly there are some pretty fashionable ones out there, have you seen those? – it’s pretty annoying when there are others out there who choose not to. I think we need to say something, especially when there are local rules in a lot of our states that require a mask be worn in public spaces.

When you see someone who’s not wearing a mask, here are some suggestions of what to do when you say something:

1. Take care of yourself first when saying something to someone. Tensions can run high at this time and the response you may receive from saying something can be heightened.

2. Equip yourself with the statistics surrounding the present situation and know the local procedures. If the person is not following the rules and refuses to listen, you can at least know you tried or can escalate it to someone who is in a position to enforce the rules.

3. Read up on how to non-violently communicate and keep requests of others short and sweet. You may find that non-verbally communicating alone will do the trick. After all, not following the procedures might just be a slip up on the other person’s behalf.

4. Bring attention to a security guard. Local rules may require people use face coverings and enforcement of these rules is equally as important the rules themselves.

5. Acknowledge the social cause at stake. By requesting that others follows the rules you are enforcing safe social norms not only for yourself but for the general well being of everyone, the rule breakers included.

So, if you go out there, be safe and follow the rules. Be an advocate. Save lives. Speak up and know that that can be an active form of love too. Speak up while not becoming aggressive, while realizing the larger social well being at stake, and while being aware of the nature of our current climate. You got this.

And as always #letstalkaboutit

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by letstalkabout”it”

Coronavirus Needs To Cleanse Us

This is a disaster, right? Yes, right. But also, stop. We have an opportunity here to rise from a disaster to create a new norm.

We can rebuild from this in a way we didn’t now we were needing to rebuild. We can look inside ourselves and learn what we didn’t know we were needing to learn. We can arise out of this in a glorious way we didn’t know we were needing to rise.

We can spend our time in valuable ways that will bring new meaning to our lives after we exit this. We can:

  • Reflect. Take account of our life, of our relationships, of the state of the world, of who we are and how we are and why we are. Evaluate our purpose and how we feel, re-ground in our body and in our intentions.
  • Create New Habits. Take on habits that can create meaning in the here and now for us, but that can also be implemented in our life when we get out of this. For example, we can to a brief five minute meditation everyday or invest in learning an applicable skill that will help us and also perhaps help others. We can learn how to cook healthy dishes or hone that home workout routine.
  • Heal Wounds. Time heals wounds, but wisdom can assist that healing. We can take this time to learn about our self healing journey through accessible books, courses and podcasts online. We can use this time to seek help and to be truthful with where our well-being is at, where we would like it to be and what we can do to get there.
  • Research the Possible. What have you been missing in your life that you have told yourself you can’t have? What have you become passive to and what have you blamed that state of passivity on? Now is the time to invest in new opportunities and research how you can go about achieving what you want. Do a deep dive on the internet or talk to people you wouldn’t have otherwise talked to. Now is the time to research the possible.
  • Pursue New Starts. In the pause we can use excess time on our hands to pursue that which we have put on hold again and again and again. Or, we can use our research to pursue an option we didn’t know was available. This time can spring opportunities that we didn’t even know we had the option to pursue.

This list can be complemented by your own exploration. If we use this time in a meaningful way we can rise out of this disaster stronger, smarter and more resilient.

Please drop me a line with any of your own inventive solutions during this time. How are you investing in yourself and your future? 

Stay safe and prosper.