When will this end? As of now, nobody really knows.  It might get worse before it gets better.

And this sense of uncertainty creates anxiety, panic, and even dread for most of us. Others create a doomsday scenario, where the end of the world is inevitable.

Regardless of what happens, how we respond to this pandemic is still key to our thriving. On Monday, Bohol will be on community quarantine. This is for our own good. What do we do? How do we thrive in moments like these?

1. Manage your anxiety – Our anxious feelings now are normal. And there is no need to panic. Yes, they don’t feel good but they are healthy. Our anxieties allow us to focus our attention on something risky. It is doing its job.

But like any other chore, when our brains work overdrive, it will also drain our energies, and we get exhausted, making us vulnerable to any illness, most especially the corona virus.

Therefore, practice techniques to keep your stress and anxiety at manageable level. Learn relaxation and breathing exercises. These are common yet neglected practices. We will all benefit from them.

2. Rest– During this time of crisis, rest is essential. Exhaustion and excessive levels of stress weaken our immune system. A healthy and strong immune system is critically important to our well-being. 

The quarantine gives us a rare opportunity to slow down and give our minds and bodies the needed boost coming from rest and sleep. Let us all grab this break.

3. Find your calm–Can we still be calm in the midst of chaos? Yes, certainly we can. Anxiety is future oriented. Fear is a response to a present threat. While we are in trouble with the disease, there are still a lot of space for us to find our peace.

Have you seen the full moon lately? Have you been to our beaches free from the crowds and people? Have you gone walking in the park, tended your garden, bathed your pets, played with your children, went on biking, prayed your rosary, did your meditation, etc. etc.?

Life offers us an endless, countless array of invitations to peace and calm. But we must be open to it. We take it in, breathe it. We need to pay attention and allow the healing of that moment to saturate us. 

4. Reengage with loved ones – This plague brings us back to basics. Our community, country, and the whole world is facing a crisis of disengagement with our family members. That is why so many are miserable and developing various kinds of psychological disorders.

This quarantine may lead us back to those times when life was slow and we only have each other to enjoy. Take time to talk, sing, eat, and do things together. It will create wonders and healing to your own soul and that of the family members.

5. Find God – “Why are we afraid of dying? Isn’t death our final destination?” This is what a friend wrote on Facebook. And he continued to say that his boldness comes from knowing and submitting his life to God.

Many of us think we know God, but do not really experience Him. And for some, it takes a life changing event, or a catastrophe, or a plague like this corona, to reassess the realities of our lives and come to terms with our mortality.

And here we are, confronted with the inevitable. But instead of losing our faith, this should give us more hunger to find our security in a God who is loving and merciful.

Let us hear Him say, “This too shall pass. Be still, and know that I am.”