What COVID-19 Can Teach Us About Mindfulness

The power of presence in the face of uncertainty.

From Psychology Today

During the COVID-19 pandemic, certain questions can serve a very important purpose. They offer the opportunity to bring our attention to our mental and physical states and to mindfully observe in order to be less reactive and more responsive in the face of such uncertain and frightening times.

I invite you to take a moment right now to ask and answer these questions for yourself.

1. How are you feeling emotionally and physically in this moment?

2. How are you bringing mindfulness to your mental and physical state each day so that you can make wise, responsible, caring choices during this disease outbreak?

If you’re like me, these questions will be helpful for creating equilibrium and equanimity during a time when you may feel out of control. 

You may also be someone in relatively secure circumstances whose empathy for others is causing you great apprehension.

Panic and dread can accompany uncertainty, and these are among the most uncertain times that many people have ever experienced in their lifetimes. 

So how can the questions above help you? 

They won’t stop the spread of COVID-19. They won’t ensure your income remains stable. They won’t make groceries (and, yes, toilet paper) appear on the shelves of your local supermarket. They won’t give you the hug you need during a time of social distancing.

But they can help in these important ways:

• Noticing that your heart is racing with fear can give you enough distance from that fear to take some deep breaths and find an outlet that soothes, calms, and interrupts the anxiety. This outlet might include contacting a loved one, listening to a favorite song, going for a walk outside, doing something creative, or exercising.

• Bringing awareness to the source of your fear allows you to take whatever steps are possible to address it. Is your fear amorphous, fueled by uncertainty, or is it specific? If it’s amorphous, try one of the suggestions above. If it’s specific, write down concrete actions you can take. Problem-solve. Obviously, this is easier said than done, but thinking like a solutionary is proactive, leading to better mental and situational outcomes. 

• Planning mindfully for the future by staying in the present moment helps you to make good decisions now to better prepare for future uncertainties. If your mind begins catastrophizing about your uncertain future, bring it back to the present, to what you are doing in the moment, to your breath, and to your thoughtful planning. 

• Shifting your attention from “me to we” will help you immeasurably. If you are healthy and relatively secure, focus on what you can do for others to relieve not just their imagined dread, but their very real hardships. This might mean bringing food and essentials to leave outside the door of sick, elderly, or immune-compromised neighbors or calling people to connect during this time of social isolation.

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