How to Live Fearlessly During COVID-19
As many of us are dealing with the recent pandemic it has made me consider how to live fearlessly during COVID-19. I believe that we do need be concerned about the coronavirus. We definitely need to take precautions, but how do we live fearlessly instead of letting fear and worry steal our joy?
Fear Based Living
It’s easy to fall into fear based living. There was a period in my life where it felt like fear was an all-consuming reality. I was fearful of so many things, including interacting with others. When we are living in fear it is easy to fall into victimhood. Instead of seeing the world as a hopeful place, we see the worst case scenario in everything. We can focus so much on the fear and what is wrong that we stop truly living.
Moving Past Fear Based Living
Moving past fear based living isn’t an easy thing. The key is in surrender. It’s important to realize that we are not in control. It can be a hard thing to admit, that we do not have control of our situation and over many areas in our lives. The beauty of surrender is realizing that we do not have control, and instead of fighting it, accepting it. For me personally, a large part of my faith is about living in surrender. I’m not in control, but that is ok as I have a Father that loves me and is in control of everything. That fact alone brings so much inner peace.
Choosing to live fearlessly allows us to start living a more authentic life. Instead of worrying and focusing on what we cannot control, by surrendering we learn to hold onto things lightly. Our expectations, the reactions of others, and the many other things that bring fear and anxiety no longer have power over us. By choosing surrender, to deal with the current moment, to be mindful of the days that we do have, it keeps us from living in fear of the future. Instead of living fearfully of what might be, instead we can love those around us and be kinder to ourselves.
Living Fearlessly During COVID-19
With the worries around COVID-19, it’s easy to fear. To be honest, I’m concerned as well. I’m concerned for my own health and the health of my friends and family. I’m also worried that if I get exposed to the virus unknowingly that I could accidentally spread it to more immune compromised individuals.
I believe that we all need to take responsibility to try to prevent the spread of this virus, but how do we do so without giving into fear? My personal response is to take all the precautions I can, try not to expose others and try to live in surrender.
A friend of mine posted online this week a very thoughtful quote from Martin Luther. Martin Luther was dealing with the bubonic plague during his time, where the mortality rate was 30% to 60% of the European population. This was his thoughts on how to deal with a pandemic.
“I shall ask God mercifully to protect us. Then I shall fumigate, help purify the air, administer medicine and take it. I shall avoid places and persons where my presence is not needed in order not to become contaminated and thus perchance inflict and pollute others and so cause their death as a result of my negligence… If my neighbor needs me however I shall not avoid place or person but will go freely as stated above. See this is such a God-fearing faith because it is neither brash nor foolhardy and does not tempt God.” -Luther’s Works Volume 43, page 132
Taking Time to Evaluate
When I am asked about how I feel about COVID-19 and if I am scared, I say no. This doesn’t mean that I’m not concerned, but I’m choosing not to live in fear.
Through the last few years I have had to take time to evaluate my life. It was not an easy time for me. I had to look at my conceptions of work, of relationships, and the general direction of my life and ask myself some really hard questions. Was I living a life that I was truly proud of? Was I living authentically in a way where I was joyful and could reach out and love others? Was I on the right path with the direction of my life?
Taking the time to evaluate was really challenging, it brought me to a place where I know I needed to surrender. It wasn’t easy, but I’m glad that I took the time to evaluate my life. It has affected my view on life in general. I don’t fear death the way that I used to. I used to think that if I died, there were all these things that I hadn’t done yet that I would be so regretful of.
Now I’m in a place that I need to be. It still has the hard moments, but I definitely feel peace where I am at. I’m living the life that I wanted and am trying to live as authentically as I can.
Now that many public gatherings are cancelled I believe that it’s a great opportunity to spend some time evaluating our lives. Being in a situation that forces us to slow down a bit and re-evaluate our life direction is a positive thing.
Spending Time with our Families
As much as we can’t be in large gatherings right now, spending time with our families at home can be a great outcome of COVID-19. So often we are busy with work and other commitments that it can be hard to connect as a family. COVID-19 gives us the space to connect with those who live with us, giving us the time to reconnect in a way that we don’t usually get to.
One of the positives of social media, Skype and Facetime is just because we are not in the same room as another person doesn’t prevent us from connecting with them. It is important that during this time we still find opportunities for connection. Being isolated from others can bring loneliness and sadness, so it’s more important than ever to connect on some level. Instead of having fearful days, we can engage in ways that allow us to live fearlessly.
Starting a Self-Care Habit
Perhaps a positive thing about having to spend time away from others is the room to build some better habits. It’s a great time to do some goal setting, especially as spring is just around the corner. I wrote an article in January about goal setting and have a free goal setting template that I hope can be a help to you.
Starting a self-care habit is important and having more time at home can give us the space to start a self-care routine. I’m working on painting and journaling during this time, not just for this website but also on some of my personal projects. By taking the time to make a self-care habit now, when we are forced to have a slower pace, when things get busier, the good habits can be part of our regular routine. If you are looking to start an artistic self-care habit, I would love for you to view the art journaling projects and inspiration available on this website. My hope is that they can provide some guidance building a new self-care habit.
Finding Joy in the Moment
I hope that you can find joy in the moment even with the worries around the coronavirus. I would love to hear from you in the comments below or feel free to contact me directly.
