Our world has suddenly changed, and we are all reeling from the consequences. We are all feeling anxious, confused, and helpless. Maybe we are feeling as small and insignificant as a lady bug.
In the face of the virus pandemic, (or whatever the latest world problem is) what possible difference can I make?
More than you might think.
We must leave it to the health and pharmaceutical professionals to fight the virus itself, but we can all do our part to fight the effects of the virus in the world around us. Social distancing, work stoppages, and alarming news are taking their toll all around us. You and I have the power to help or encourage others.
Every act of kindness matters—perhaps now more than ever.
Here are 10 simple actions you can take today that will spread hope and keep our world functioning.
- Reach out. We have the technology to keep in touch even when we cannot physically be together. Use it! Make a point of communicating with anyone you think of who might need a word of encouragement, or the sound of another human voice. We all know people who are alone or who find isolation particularly difficult to bear. If we are all intentional about reaching out to those we know, the world won’t be such a big, scary place.
- Choose to spread positivity. For every negative thing we could focus on, share on social media, or rant about, there are also good things. Stories of sacrifice, kindness, and hope. Reminders of the many blessings we still enjoy despite the difficulties. Uplifting quotes and inspiring works of art. We can fight the overwhelming fear and depression that surrounds us with the positive side of truth. Do your part to spread hope with your posts and conversations.
- Take proper precautions. Governments would not have gone to such extremes if this virus wasn’t so deadly. We all need to work hard to practice appropriate precautions to protect both our own families and everyone around us. If you haven’t yet looked up effective sanitary practices, do so today.
- Don’t believe everything you read. Do your part to stop false information from spreading. Check your sources. Search out reputable websites for your information. In this anxious environment, one evil-minded hoax could send our world crashing. Don’t let alarmist posts get to you!
- Feed your positive mindset. With so many changes so quickly, we are all under stress. We must be intentional about filling our minds and spirits with positive truths, gratitude, and hope. What will you read, view, or listen to today that fills your mind with hope or calms your anxious heart?
- Practice ingenuity. Our best-laid plans have been thwarted and the store is out of what we wanted to buy. We can whine about it, or we can roll up our sleeves and figure it out. Take a lesson from earlier generations and learn to “make do” with the resources you have. Examples: Last weekend my daughter-in-law threw a virtual baby shower. She arranged a drop-off location for gifts and organized video chats that enabled the attendees to play games, share their love, and view the gifts being opened. It was a smashing success. Another friend organized a happy birthday caroling session, with several family units gathering to sing happy birthday while still keeping enough distance to avoid sharing germs. How can you use imagination and ingenuity to overcome the problems you face?
- Get around to it. If you are stuck home without work, you have the perfect opportunity to tackle a project you’ve been putting off for too long. File those papers. Read that book. Finish that craft. Organize those photos and make an album. Write that memoir. Now’s your chance, don’t squander it.
- Make something for someone. Use your talents to create nice things to brighten someone’s day. Whether you give these items now or keep them to give way later, creating stuff is a great way to keep a positive mindset and do something productive.
- Learn something new. If school students can learn online, so can the rest of us. Utilize the online resources available to learn something. There are millions of blog posts, videos, podcasts, ebooks, etc. to choose from. Pick a subject you’ve always been curious about and look for resources to learn more. If nothing else, take advantage of all the virtual tours, and field trips currently available. Museums, national parks, zoos, and other places are offering positive, educational options to fill your hours and your imagination.
- Pray. For government leaders at all levels. For the sick, lonely, and frightened. For healthcare workers. For scientists desperately seeking cures. For all the others who are still hard at work, including: transportation, sanitation, utilities, teachers, student meal services, retail, agriculture, etc. For the pastors, librarians, museum staff and many others who are doing all they can to bring hope and some level of connectedness to all of us (not to mention all the technical people behind the scenes who make it all work).
We can all survive this. We must all do our part to help.
What can you do today?
