“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” - Nelson Mandela

With news of the Coronavirus pandemic spreading quicker than the virus itself, it’s no wonder that there is a shortage of anti-bacterial wipes, facemasks, and toilet paper. Granted, I’m still trying to figure the last one out.

In all seriousness though, with new cases being reported at an alarming rate, shortages of supplies, events being canceled and media outlets bombarding us with scary news, it is completely understandable if you’re worried about this disease spreading. I am too.

That said, this isn’t the first or the last time that a global outbreak has instilled fear into our daily lives, so let’s continue to learn from the past, protect ourselves, and choose to approach this potential pandemic with peace, gratitude, and resilience. While this may seem like a major leap from the current state of worry and fear, I firmly believe that we can successfully navigate this overflow of information, mitigate the stress, and reframe the situation in a way that better serves us, and our society.

Reframing the Coronavirus and Fear

Reframing helps us see a situation from a different point of view. Frankly, as a mindset coach, It’s one of my go-to coaching tools when a client is stuck.

When it comes to the fear and anxiety related to the Coronavirus, reframing is a powerful way to minimize the impact of stress, which has been scientifically proven to reduce our immune system, hinder our decision-making abilities, and make us more susceptible to chronic diseases. Said plainly, reframing a situation to minimize stress can make us more resilient to the impact of the virus.

Reframing can also help us realize what we personally have control over, again reducing the impact of the stress, and can help us start to seek out the positive things that people and companies are doing to help people get through this.

Reframing Fear

According to PositivePsychology.com, humans can experience 34,000 emotions. Fear is just one of them. That means that we have 33,999 other emotions to choose from, which is pretty incredible.

When I work with my clients on reframing their fears, we always start by reviewing these two core foundation principles:

Fear lives in the past and in the future, not in the present moment.
The only thing we can control is ourselves.

These principles are important to understand because if we’re spending our energy being fearful of history repeating itself, or being fearful of what the future may bring, we’re reducing our potential to live in the present moment. By staying in the present moment, we’re able to have more control over how we act, what we think, and the emotions that we’re feeling; so rather than being overrun by fear, we’re able to pause, look around, and find peace and gratitude if we so choose.

Peace and Gratitude

So, now that we’ve talked about the importance of reframing fear and how to do so, let’s quickly look at areas that we can find peace and gratitude as the virus continues to spread.

Personally, I equate feelings of peace with acceptance and trust. Trusting that the universe has a plan, accepting that the situation and the spreading virus is largely out of my control but trusting that I am doing everything in my power to protect myself, trusting that the CDC, WHO and other people are also being vigilant, and accepting the news of canceled events and new cases with non-judgment.

I’ve written before about the power of gratitude. Gratitude helps us realize that we’re not living alone in this crazy world, it helps us look for light amongst the dark. As it relates to the Coronavirus, I am grateful for event organizers who are canceling events to keep their attendees safe, I am grateful that the lady in front of me at Target decided that six large bottles of hand sanitizers were enough so that I could snag the last one on the shelf, I am grateful for airlines who are waiving change fees despite their plummeting revenue and stock prices, and I am grateful that because of technology we can quickly receive news of new cases, new ways to prevent the disease, and news on some of the really cool ways that people are coming together to fight this thing, like the NYS prison system that is now producing hand sanitizer as a way to fight the price gouging. I am also grateful that this virus is bringing us together as a community, with small and large businesses alike banding together to ensure the health and well being of the community through advanced cleaning services and better-enhanced communication efforts.

Change the World through Kindness

It’s not easy for people to take a step back, take a breath, and actively choose to look at the world through a higher energy level. It’s not easy for people to look past the fear and to reframe their mindset to look for the positive things in their life.

The fact that you took the time to read this article shows that you’re willing to energetically raise your awareness and consciousness as a means to protecting yourself and finding a way to release tension and approach life with a mindset and energy level that better serves you and those around you.

While it is SO easy to judge individuals and how they are reacting with fear to the Coronavirus pandemic, judgment doesn’t serve anyone. Instead, let’s help transition people from a fear-based mindset by meeting them where they are, and treating them with kindness, gratitude, and acceptance.

Be kind to the customer service representatives who are trying to help you change your travel plans, be accepting of the fact that this virus will continue to get worse before it gets better, and be grateful that we live in America where we have the flexibility and technology to work from home, avoid grocery stores and have some of the best medical centers in the world.

We are not alone in this fight against the Coronavirus. Everyone you interact with is just as worried as you are and is also being impacted in immeasurable ways (trips, work, school, family, financially, etc). So while the world is downward spiraling into fear of the unknown, be kind, be understanding, be gracious, and above all else, try to lead by example by showing people that responding with a clear rational mindset, filled with peace and gratitude will lead to far greater success and outcomes in the long run.