I never thought my car rental agency would care so much about my welfare, nor the utility companies that provide my electricity, gas, internet, and phone services. But apparently they do\u2014how nice to know! I\u2019m also on the mailing lists of local museums, theatre groups, discount show ticket merchants, my favorite local organic grocer, a vegan restaurant, and travel sites such as Airbnb and TripAdvisor, just to name a few.<\/p>\n
All of them have stuffed my inbox with emails about what they\u2019re doing to protect their employees while continuing to provide services, to the extent possible, during what is certain to become a lockdown situation in the US as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. I realize these welfare-concern emails are mostly about marketing because in our times, a lack of compassion is just not good for business in the 21st century, with voices on social media watching and all.<\/p>\n
Even though our predicament is going to worsen before it improves, there is a silver lining to this dress rehearsal for the zombie apocalypse: it\u2019s the perfect opportunity to practice self-care and reaffirm what is truly<\/em> important in our lives. Since October 2019 I\u2019ve been writing about retreating<\/a>, what I define as taking time to reset and recharge your life. Now that we\u2019ve been forced to spend a lot more time at home, why not set up your personal space<\/a> where you can retreat to each day? Even spending only 10 minutes a day focusing on your emotional, physical, and spiritual wellness can have great benefits. Getting in the habit now will not only help calm you during these alarming times, the practice will make you feel so much better that you\u2019ll want to continue after the All Clear bell sounds. By the way, we have no idea when that\u2019s going to be!<\/p>\n In addition to yourself, it\u2019s important to pay attention to those you share a home with. Although spending more time with your immediate tribe can have positive benefits, endless days and weeks sitting around the virtual campfire can send even the most patient of souls on the warpath. To head potential issues off at the pass, try organizing a daily check-in. You can also do this by phone or video conference with people you don\u2019t live with but whose welfare matters to you. Here are some suggestions for managing a daily cuddle huddle:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n If you feel comfortable being a Good Samaritan, consider the welfare of your neighbors, especially the elderly, those who live alone, or others who might be in a higher-risk group for complications from illness. Offer to help in any way you and they feel comfortable with. They might even appreciate a daily check-in by phone.<\/p>\n Okay, so this isn\u2019t a zombie apocalypse, but it is also not<\/em> a dress rehearsal for dealing with a global crisis that can be fatal for millions of people. Remember, the precautions we are asked to take aren\u2019t necessarily meant to protect us from getting sick so much as they are meant to prevent the spread of coronavirus<\/a> so we don\u2019t overload our healthcare system. And what\u2019s the best way to stay healthy? Practice, practice, practice self-care. Oh, and thanks car rental company and airlines and electricity provider and all you others out there for caring so much!<\/p>\n For links to retreats, visit my Retreats<\/a> page.<\/p>\n Be well and take care.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n