COVID is Affecting All of Us
COVID is Affecting All of Us
Ironically, last week I talked about COVID freedoms, yet this week I feel subordinated. My medical center just handed out pay cuts to their physicians. We were told we need to work harder for less money, for an unknown amount of time, and with little recourse. This doesn’t feel very free. COVID is affecting all of us in different ways, and its impact on our lives is equally unique.
Don’t Add Shame to Suffering
Whatever the sorrow, negative emotions are expected: anger, fear, grief, sadness, injustice. What do we do with these emotions? One coping strategy is to think positively, think of others who are worse off than we are, comforting ourselves with the “could be worse” scenarios. At least I didn’t lose my job, I still have a good salary, at least I’m not sick! Or maybe we are telling ourselves that we “shouldn’t” be sad, considering what others are experiencing. But these strategies can backfire because positive thinking can add shame to suffering.
The Interconnected Web of Life
Life is made up of contrasts of seemingly opposite and contrary forces. We are tired or energetic, calm or angry, bored or entertained. It is these contrasts that make existence beautiful! But when we label the negative experiences as wrong, we become desperate to fix them…whether it be through intellectualizing, numbing with food or drink, or simply denial. In the end, these behaviors cause even greater suffering and ultimately sabotage our growth.
Cultivate Curiosity
Despite what our culture tells us, humans aren’t supposed to be happy all the time.
Discomfort is part of the human condition. When negative emotions are experienced, experience them.
Get curious, what does this emotion really mean? How does it represent your values? Explore yourself honestly until you land on a thought that serves you. If we practice being present with our suffering, we learn to understand that this anxiety, this resentment, or this impatience, is just a tension to be moved through, and a necessary part of a beautiful life.
COVID Is Not the End
A colleague quoted an unknown source yesterday saying that “It will all be okay in the end, and if it’s not okay, it’s not the end”. This is not the end. Our story will continue, and I hope that you will experience it fully.
