The anxiety + fear is pretty thick in the air right now. I’m feeling it, and I’m certain that you are feeling it as well. As the coronavirus (COVID-19) becomes increasingly more of a concern, you may be struggling to answer the question, “How can I find peace in such scary + uncertain times?” 

These days, what once were things you didn’t think twice about…shaking hands with a new acquaintance, holding the railing as you walk down a set of stairs, heading out to your favorite sporting event or concert, are all causing legitimate concern these days because of the worldwide pandemic Covid-19. You are probably equally concerned about your loved ones that are more susceptible to the virus. Or you are a fellow boss babe entrepreneur, you may be concerned about how your business will survive the economic impact of this outbreak. I 100% get how you are feeling, and I’ll be first to admit, I’m right there with you feeling those fears and worries creep up on me.  But I want to let you know that…

Feeling fear + anxiety is okay + normal.

Would you want to feel excitement and happiness during a time like this? Probably not. It’s a natural defense mechanism of our body to feel these kinds of feelings when we are facing danger. Sit with your feelings. Allow yourself to be with the emotion. Ask yourself where you are feeling it in your body and how would you describe it. The thing is that most of us don’t sit with our fear/anxiety. We try to push it away. We want to resist it. We tend to buffer or spin circles. The crazy thing is the feeling itself isn’t going to cause you any harm, but how you choose to react to it might. Give yourself some time to sit with your feelings about the Covid-19 outbreak. Journal your thoughts + feelings. Allow yourself to feel compassion for it. Then set it aside. You do not need to continue to hold onto those feelings. You ARE allowed to search for and find peace. Doing so will have little or no effect on the spread of this epidemic, so why wouldn’t you? 

Covid-19 is a neutral circumstance + you get to choose how you react to it.

If you’ve noticed, everyone around seems to NOT be reacting the same way. Some are very, very concerned about the effects of the virus, while others may appear to be less than bothered by it. But the circumstance that the Covid-19 virus exists is there no matter what. On a recent episode of the Tim Ferriss Show podcast, Jack Kornfield told a story about walking in a rice field and seeing a large boulder. When asked if the boulder was heavy, he replied yes. But was given the response that “the boulder is only heavy if you try lifting it up.” This is a great analogy to show that you can witness what is present around you without being lost in it.  The beauty of your thoughts is you get to choose how you react to the situation. So take a moment to ask yourself if your thoughts and feelings serving you and if they aren’t, take a moment to reevaluate them and see if you can find some that leave you feeling more at peace.

Focus on the present

The future is always going to be uncertain. And ruminating over all the worst-case scenarios isn’t going to make your current situation better. Take time to meditate. Or write in a gratitude journal. Enjoy the warm sunshine on your face. Go for a walk. Watch your children play. Have a quick dance party for one in your living room. Enjoy the now and allow yourself to realize it’s okay to find peace + calmness during this scary time.

Know that you aren’t alone.

This is a time for you and me to come together and find community + connections in new ways. Let’s support each other. Understand that everyone is going to react differently to what is going on in the world and realize that showing compassion + love is far easier than getting angry + frustrated. We are all doing the best that we can. We got this! And we are going to come out on the other side stronger + wiser.

Have any tips or ideas on how to find peace during difficult times like these?

Drop a comment below so we can share + continue to support each other. Or if you have any questions for me, feel free to email me at hello@tamikeehn.com

*Thanks to the Tim Ferriss Show, The Life Coach School, and Psychology Today for insight that helped me to put together this article.