After over 20 months “maneuvering” through this pandemic that persists, I remember feeling quite hopeful when Metro Manila was placed under Alert Level 2 early November. Most people were vaccinated. People had more freedom moving around the city. And as we approached Christmas last December, everyone looked forward to finally seeing family and friends, visiting malls and traveling. I did not expect all of this would be this short-lived with last week’s cases reaching a high of over 38,000.
Every start of the year, for as long as I can remember, I have had a rough direction on tackling my new year. Even amid the past pandemic months, I pushed forth with positivity and purpose in myself, my family, my work life and within my community. However, as I entered the first few weeks of 2022, I found myself feeling “robbed” of what I thought would be a more normal 2022. I felt the promise of my kids finally having a chance to go back to physical school; our family finally being able to freely visit my in-laws in Bicol; our work family having more stable hours as the economy gets back on its feet; spending time with friends; and doing face-to-face meetings (still with social distancing) with customers and other organizations. In short, I was not prepared for another run on this roller-coaster of hopes in 2022.
I have had similar conversations with people around me and I think the common question lingering in many people’s minds is: “Where do we begin?”
Last weekend was a good time for me to do some quiet reflection. Let me share my 2022 plan of action on where to begin…and hopefully it will be my regimen this year in facing all the volatility of circumstances that may still arise.
BREATHE Whether before you start your day or when you just suddenly feel being overwhelmed, pause from whatever you are doing, look at a relaxing image, and take three deep breaths. There are many breathing techniques you can research online as well. After that last deep breath, proceed to doing this simple “3-3-3 Grounding Exercise” from the talk on anxiety I attended at work. You are supposed to pause and say the first 3 things you SEE, 3 things you HEAR and 3 emotions you FEEL.
QUIET THE NOISE After grounding one’s thoughts and emotions, it is always good to physically pour it out through writing, drawing or even a voice memo. I would usually draw what is bothering me and then put a caption or poetry just to “quiet my heart”. Prayer is also a good way by offering all our fears and anxieties to a Higher Being.
ASSERT THE CHOICE TO TAKE CHARGE However we feel helpless amid the uncertainties, the most important thing is having the mindset of choosing to take charge to move forward and not retreat.
One of the first things I decided is that, as much as there are so many new developments on Covid-19 and the avalanche of information on social media, they also cause too much “noise” and fear. Now, I limit looking through these types of messages. For me, I listed down the top three aspects I will focus on and got opinions from experts. For example, for family health, I choose to listen to medical experts. For my kids’ education, which is one of my biggest worries, I get guidance from my child’s school and teacher-friends.
Dr. Francis Xavier Dimalanta, a renowned developmental behavioral pediatrician, directed me to these tips taken from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (cdc.gov) on proper hygiene at home, which includes cleaning high-touch surfaces regularly or as needed and after you have visitors at home, focusing on high-touch surfaces such as doorknobs, tables, handles, light switches, and countertops, among others. The comprehensive guide can be found at bit.ly/3AqhYTn. He also shared the official publication of the Philippine Pediatric Society, A Parent’s Guide on Covid-19 Infection in Children, which discusses in-depth how to prevent and what to do if your child gets infected. It is quite complete including handling food delivery, playing and sports, home care and even breastfeeding. This can be found on their Facebook page.
I appreciated very much how Dr. Dimalanta also shared practical tips on keeping my family holistically healthy. He advised to focus on communication, compassion and consult. He encouraged keeping the lines open within the family by asking then listening and showing more empathy to each other. Compassion to do self-care before you can care for others. Lastly, to consult with experts like doctors, teachers, therapists, or allied health workers for appropriate and not sensationalized solutions or treatment options.
Next week, let me share more tips on how to take charge of this current volatile situation that we are all facing.
Image credits: Kal Visuals on Unsplash