The Corona Manifesto: Surviving Forced Isolation

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Cabin Fever: 

Cabin Fever is the restlessness one experiences in forced isolation especially in confined spaces.

Even before Corona had hit, we were starting to live fragmented and lonely lives. We were happy staying indoors all day with our phones and devices. Playgrounds stayed pristine because children didn’t seem to have much use for them anymore. Video gaming and social media was the order of the day.

So, why is this Covid Quarantine turning out to be so unbearable?

Simple.

This form of public isolation is being forced upon us threatening our free will to do whatever we’re usually allowed to do with our free time. This self imposed quarantine is threatening the identity of us humans because we would rather be social animals.

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Our Brains Thrive on Social Connection: 

Imagine if we were building a career with a single minded goal. We might feel productive at the end of the day but our uni-dimensional life will not be fun at all. Without incorporating leisure and creativity and pursuing what we enjoy, and creating a well rounded life, we will not be truly happy.

That’s where we leverage the power of connection. By connecting with others, we share our gifts and positively change their lives. We share our predicaments and our sorrows and feel better. Connection to our fellow living beings, humans and animals, brings meaning and purpose into our lives. It impacts us and enables us to contribute to higher goals.

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Belong, Matter and Contribute: 

Each one of us wants to equally make an impact, add value and matter to others. We thrive in sharing gratitude, finding our unique voice, setting our expectations, being acknowledged for our strengths, and making meaningful relationships. When we inquire, be curious and ask questions, we make others feel valued and vice versa.

This is all of us as one humanity, driven by the same needs. The feeling of belonging, the need to matter, and a cause to impact and give.

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Why I Wear My Mask

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Then, How Do We Survive Forced Isolation? 

Ok, we’ve established what Cabin Fever is. And how important our need for Social Connection is. That can help us conclude that in the scheme of forced isolation from others who validate our existence, we begin questioning our own worth.

Now let’s check some other facts. Corona is an infectious virus and isolation seems to be the only way out as far as not contracting it.

1. We can’t get away without interacting with the ones in our house.
2. Some of us are double agents now, working at home while caring for our children.

So, we might as well learn how to cope with this solitude that’s upon us for the foreseeable future.

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Adapting the Coping Mindset: 

If this is anything like the collective grief / inconvenience (for most of us not on the front line), we must quickly get to the 5th stage in Grief management – ACCEPTANCE. The other stages before it being: Denial, Anger, Bargaining and Depression. Here’s a few thoughts that can help us ACCEPT and REFRAME our current reality.

• There’s no known finish (time)line.
• Teachers around the world are trying their best to teach our children through digital learning methods.
• And to that point, what’s happening is not Homeschooling, Digital Learning, Virtual Classrooms. No one knows well enough about this stuff to be perfect at it.
• No two temperaments are going to be the same of those of us stuck at home with each other.
• Let’s agree on expectations and give one another slack.
• Communicate how you’re feeling and don’t leave room for speculation on feelings and emotions.
• For most of us, lucky ones, our situations are just a little more than an inconvenience right now.
• I will use this time to clean up my closet, organize my folder, finish up tasks I’ve not had a chance to do in my otherwise busy life.
• This might be a terrific opportunity to learn a new skill or upskill myself!

Finally, finally, this is the big one!

Why are we self quarantining ourselves, why?

Remembering the rationale and the whole purpose behind this madness, will surely help us get through this.

Team work and isolation is the only thing that will help us get through this without (literally) killing each other. 

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Resources for Corona Times: 

• How to Preserve Mental Health while Battling Cabin Fever: READ HERE
• How to Cut Yourself and Others Some (Corona) Slack: READ HERE
• Using Corona (Down)Time to Upskill and Reskill: READ HERE
• Compassion in times of Crisis and Catastrophe: READ HERE
• Introducing Free ONLINE Classes!: READ HERE
• On Personal Wellbeing and Pandemics: READ HERE
• Courage in the time of Corona and Covid 19: READ HERE

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