Uncertainty continues to rage as the Omicron variant spreads across the globe rapidly. Worldwide, people are experiencing fear, distress, and misery, and many have panic-filled thoughts and are losing hope. As a result of the Covid-19, many businesses have already shut down and many people have become financially troubled. Increasingly, the world is filled with families in despair, couples broken, and children without emotional support. Around us, there are students, teachers, doctors, leaders, and many others who are overwhelmed with stress and pressure. We have none who is not stressed. The pandemic and its effects can adversely affect mental health, resulting in trauma that has long-term effects and turns people into dysfunctional individuals. I strongly believe that, even though the Covid pandemic is particularly dangerous, contagious, and powerful, the world will overcome it sooner or later. But what about the mental breakdown, the trauma, and irreparable pain and suffering it may leave behind? Can people who became traumatized and mentally ill as a result of the pandemic ever fully recover? Can couples and families that have fallen apart and become dysfunctional ever get back together? Just as it is impossible to get back water spilled, sleep lost, or time spent, it is also difficult to recover from mental illness and broken relationships.
Covid has created a terrible situation, but there is a silver lining: a few people who were particularly harmed by Covid proved that despite the odds the human spirit has the power to endure and overcome. Because of their mental well-being, they did not lose hope or become despondent, but, instead, become more resilient. Resilience is defined as the ability to cope well with adversity, tragedy, or significant sources of stress. Willpower motivated them to strive to survive, restore, and re-establish themselves. No matter what the circumstances, we can develop and improve our mental and emotional health by maintaining good values, choosing healthy lifestyles, keeping the right attitude, and adopting good behaviors. In the same vein, we can deal with and tolerate current uncertainty and insecurity effectively, taking advantage of them while remaining resilient without succumbing to them. Being resilient means not only making it through painful experiences but also emerging stronger on the other side. Here are some simple ways to enhance our resilience.
Be connected with your family
You can maintain confidence in yourself and your family and find the power within you collectively to not only get through this difficult time but be better prepared for whatever life brings. People who can’t come together to endure often resort to destructive means of coping. When families work together, they can become others’ “haven amid storms.” Pray together and for each other and encourage your family members to appreciate each other and share peace before going to sleep.
Take Control
Manage the aspects of your life that you can control, modify, and learn from, and acknowledge and minimize the aspects you cannot control. Don’t feed destructive thoughts or engage in negative emotions. Focus on solutions, not problems.
Be optimistic
Businesses that are doing well today do so because they tell employees, “Things will be tough, but here’s what you can do when things get tough.” Train your families or employees on how to cope with unpredictable situations with optimism.
Persevere in Faith
A person’s faith in God can allow him or her to remain resilient even when sufferings like pandemics, illnesses, or injuries occur. Faith is the confidence that we all happen. Having faith does not mean living without problems or fear. It means persevering through storms, not relying on our abilities, but believing that God is with us, and He will not abandon us.
Engage in prayer
Praying strengthens our faith. Instead of spending a lot of time worrying, surfing aimlessly, or engaging in pointless conversations, take some time to pray. The act of praying consists of getting busy with God through faith in praising, thanking, seeking, and finding. We will be resilient by praying for another and having faith in God. See what prayer can accomplish for you.
Learn from endurance
In challenging times, the most resilient people are those who are humble and who learn from their terrible and enduring experiences. People with pride may not view learning as an opportunity to improve themselves. Resilient people learn more through real-life experiences than from university lectures and textbooks. Make the most of the library of your life.
Be kind to yourself
Kindness is contagious and does not have boundaries. How can you care for others if you don’t care for yourself? Be kind to yourself so you can be kind to others. Kindness can melt stress, reduce fear and enhance love and magnify hope.
Be creative
Recognize your importance to God, your family, and your community. Meditate on your innate ability and beauty. Become aware of your mind’s power to create, recreate, and re-create. Enjoy the humor, laugh more, and appreciate nature.
Love and care for others
Regardless of what life throws at them, resilient and faith-centered individuals always choose to do what is right and what is good for others and trust that the rest will be taken care of by the Almighty. Do what’s right and beneficial for others, while avoiding anything harmful to yourself or others. This is the foundation for loving God, loving others, and loving yourself. Be available to those who are in need and listen. Whenever possible, make sure to do what you can and don’t do anything you’re not supposed to, and refer to qualified people if you need assistance.
Seek Help
If you need help, don’t hesitate to ask. Getting help should not be delayed or put off. Act NOW. Turn to trusted sources or qualified and person-centered professionals. Reaching out to others doesn’t indicate weak character. Consider getting help to listen to your feelings, to check your thoughts to make sure you are doing the right thing based on your own will and truth and not by emotion or impulsive feelings.
A happy and fulfilling life depends on good mental and emotional health. Stress, uncertainty, and instability will always be part of life. However, we can remind ourselves that we have the resources to live a healthy and safe life. In addition, we can consider what we can do to enhance our ability to cope in these tough times. Despite not being able to change the environment or stop the storms, we can still make the right choices and decide what we want from our circumstances and who we can become. No matter what we go through, we can learn from it and become stronger as a result. It is vital that we remain loving and caring to each other as we endure and become resilient during uncertain times.
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