I've always believed that things are never as bad as we make them up to be in our heads. I'm a big time worrier, and I'll often find myself thinking ad nauseam about something completely out of my control that could or could not eventually happen. During those times I try to tell myself that if whatever it is that I'm worried about does in fact happen, it won't be as bad as is it in my mind right now. That when presented with a challenge or hardship, we as human beings are capable of so much more than we think we are. And so I try to stop worrying so much, because the act of worrying won't stop whatever it is from happening. If it's going to happen then it's going to happen and I will deal with it when and if it does.
Think back to a few months ago, when things were "normal" in your life. Now imagine that someone came up to you then and said "In March there will be a worldwide pandemic and life as you know it will change forever. Schools and businesses will close, you will be asked to keep a 6 foot distance from people no matter where you go, you will be asked to stay home as much as possible, people will get sick and die, hospitals will be overwhelmed and won't have enough supplies- oh, and you won't be told for how long it will last. " Of course I would never believe this person, but let's say they showed me proof that it was going to happen. I would have instantly broken down and started crying hysterically. My mind would start flooding with images of life basically being over, of children crying inside their houses, parents not knowing what to do and where to turn, and basically just all hell breaking loose.
But that's not what I see today. What I have seen is that human beings are so incredibly adaptable. We take what is thrown at us, even if it's at a moment's notice, and simply deal with it. There's no time to break down sobbing or worry. You just buckle up and get things done. All my friends immediately started sharing resources, stories, tips and ideas for things to do with our kids every day, we FaceTime our family to see each other check on each other, businesses hold their meetings on Zoom rather than in an office, and people stay home and find things to do.
Before this happened, if you had told me I would be in my house with my two little kids day in and day out with no school, no activities, and no play dates, I would have punched you. But here we are on Day 10 and we've all stepped up and made the best of it. Kids are so resilient and believe me, as a kid it's pretty amazing to get to stay home and color, eat, play with legos, go on nature walks and watch movies with your family. If you had told me my gym was closing I would never have believed you. But close it did, and because of the incredible people who work there, we now have been able to rent equipment to set up a home gym, we have workouts to do that are posted every day, and I've worked out so hard the past 7 days, sometimes twice a day, that I actually feel fitter than ever. Communities, families, friends, neighbors- we all come together, adapt to new circumstances, and try our hardest to stay positive and just keep moving forward, no matter how scared or nervous we all are. Because that's what will get us through all of this, no matter how long it lasts, and when it is over, we'll all be so much stronger because of it. Worrying does nothing but make things worse, because when bad things happen, you can turn them around and make them good.
