In the immortal words of Douglas Adams, DON'T PANIC!
Now if you haven't read "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" now would be a good time. Most outdoor and group activities are being shut down due to COVID-19. This virus has been upgraded to Pandemic this last week and as I'm sure you've seen on the news, Facebook, or YouTube, people are going a little crazy. Fear of a thing is usually much worse than the thing itself.
The fear and panic that is going on around the world is causing a massive economic impact as well the social implications that go along with that. People are hording necessities such as toilet paper, flour, rice, and canned goods. While doing this, fights are breaking out over these necessities. While being prepared for the worst is always a good thing, the explosion of panic is not. A single person can think and rationalize, but get to many people into a group and throw in some fear and the ability to think rationally goes out the window.
So what should you be doing about this?
1) Take the necessary precautions. Wash your hands, avoid large groups, don't travel, if you are sick STAY HOME! Even if it's just a cold. People don't know that, and you could incite a reaction from scared people.
2) Don't worry about it! Worry leads to panic. Panic is not a good thing. That stress is harmful to you as well. There have been numerous studies on the physical damage that stress causes the body. Beyond the precautions that you are taking stop worrying about everything. If you are taking all the precautions that you can, then you should be fine, and if you still get sick, even with COVID-19, then deal with that as it comes.
There is some sage advice: Don't worry about what you can control. If you can control it, do so and move on. There is nothing to worry about. Don't worry about what you can't control. If you have no control over it then there is no point in worrying about it, it will or will not happen regardless of your efforts, so worry is a waste of energy. If that thing you couldn't control never happens then all that worry and stress was a waste of time. If that thing you couldn't control does happen, then worrying about it up to that point was also a waste of time because there was nothing you could do to stop it.
NO MATTER WHAT, DON'T WORRY!
So, what about the last scenario? If it does happen to you. Let's say you happen to get sick, what then? You can only do what you can do. Live everyday as if it is your last regardless of health or sickness, happiness or pain, in the good times and bad. See the good in every moment. Do not regret your past. We have all done stupid things in our youth. Some of us have done stupid things yesterday. Hopefully you have learned from your mistakes and have grown from them. If that is true, they are not mistakes, they are learning experiences and have had a positive effect on your life. Stay positive. Don't get sucked into the negative fearfulness of the masses. It is terribly freeing to not be afraid of your inevitable death. Always be strong and stay centered.
Alright, enough of the death talk. I know that stresses people out.
Staying centered is important. Physically, if you are not centered you don't have any balance and can be taken down easily, but what we are taking about here is mental and emotional center. If you don't have that it is easy for others to pull you into a panic state, or an angered state, or a depressed state, or any emotional state that is not centered, balanced and rational. Stoicism talks about this at great length, so does Buddhism and Taoism. These philosophies focus on your mental state and staying centered to become rational and therefore, more mindful.
If you are able to stay mentally centered and mindful you can better perceive the truth better in all things. See past what you are being told and see the body language that is either truthful or not. See the emotion behind the words and determine if what you are being told is just panic or valid. Don't believe everything you hear and unless you have found and can maintain your center, don't believe everything you think either.
There are many ways to find your center. One of the best ways is the simplest. Stand or sit in a comfortable position. Take an inventory of your stress and consciously let the stress go. Relax! Close your eyes and breathe deeply, concentrating only on your breathe. At the beginning you will find it difficult as your mind will want to regain control. A million little thoughts will pop into your head as your ego fights for dominance. Don't focus on them. Let them come and go as they will. Don't latch onto any thought. Over time your mind will become quieter, less stressed, and more present. You will be able to see things for what they are and won't REACT to them, you will have choice and will therefore ACT with the course of action you have decided to take.
This is relevant not only to the marital arts, as I am teaching people how to fight and defend themselves most of the time, but also in every aspect of your life. Try it. What do you have to lose?
Brad Dotten
Ronin Combatives
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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