Lawdy, Lawdy!   As we head deep into the Spring,  the days sure are getting longer.  Working from home.  Layoffs. E-learning.  Stock market upheaval. Toilet paper shortages. Graduation cancellations.  Sports season cancellations.  Dreams put on hold.   We’ve endured it all as we enter our second month of lockdown here in the US.

There is real suffering throughout the world.  We have sacrificed a lot together and there is no need to sugarcoat it or bury our heads in the sand.  But in every crisis, there is a substantial upside if we are willing to look for it.   Sometimes, we have to shut off the news, step back from the day-to-day monotony and focus on the rays of goodness.

But resilience is about more than a positive attitude.  There are steps we can take every day to not only endure but actually thrive during this time of uncertainty.  Crisis presents opportunities.  And the best way to stay connected and stay resilient is to take advantage of those opportunities.

So, without further ado, below are seven ways to stay resilient throughout the course of this pandemic.

1) Stick With Your Routines

Routines are often associated with monotony and boredom. But in times of crisis, these routines can be a lifeline.  In the confusion and disruption, there is comfort in the familiar.  The “same old, same old” can provide a touch of humanity to get us through the darker times.

The little things matter.  Taking a shower.  Waking up at the same time.  Saying grace before dinner.  Reading before bed.  Whatever the routine, it can be liberating to abandon them at first.  But eventually, we need to circle back and embrace normalcy.  We need to get back to those routines to remind us that we are human.  To remind us that that there will be an end to this madness.  And to remind us that we will be ready to pick right back up where we left off when things do return to “normal”.

2) Do Something That Wouldn’t Have Been Possible Without Quarantine 

Yes, this period of quarantine has been brutal.  So much has been taken away from us during this time.  But let’s not let a good crisis go to waste.

How can we take advantage of this unique situation?  It doesn’t have to be grandiose and life-changing.  But leveraging the slower pace and dwindling distractions can be liberating.  Perhaps we clean out our attic.  Perhaps we focus on playing the guitar.  Perhaps we re-kindle a relationship with a spouse, child or parent.  We may never have this much time in our lives.  Twenty years from now, what will we say we accomplished during this pandemic?  Let’s make it meaningful.

3) Focus On What You Have, Not What You Have Lost

We can all share our sad stories of loss during this time.  The long tail of the pandemic does not discriminate and we have all been impacted in some way.  But what do we still have left?

Do we have our family?  Do we have solid friendships?  Do we have our house?  Do we have our sense of humor?  Are we counting our wins or counting our losses?  Sometimes losing something precious allows us to better appreciate what remains.  A crisis such as this sharpens our focus. Let’s focus on the positive.

4) Make a To-Do List 

There is a great irony that often comes with having so much extra time.  Sometimes we do less with more.  It’s okay to slow down, scale back and enjoy a simpler life.  But if we want to stay resilient, we still have to get things done.

Set a goal every day.  Make an old school “to do” list.  Cross stuff off!  There is nothing that helps our resilience more than accomplishing a task.  It gives us purpose and meaning.  Admiral McRaven had the right idea.  If nothing else, make your bed!

5) Picture Yourself Two Years From Now

Robert Frost wrote “nothing gold can stay”.  And it’s true, all good things must come to an end.  But it is important to know that all bad things also come to an end.  Losing streaks.  Bear markets.  Sad times. And, yes, pandemics.  Two years from now (or two months from now!) picture doing the little things you miss the most.

Getting a haircut.  Taking a steam or massage.  Watching or playing sports.  Going to the movie theater.  Going to a favorite restaurant.  Whatever it is, know that it will happen again.  That will sustain us in dark times.  That will give us hope. And, as Andy Dufresne famously professed:  “Hope is a good thing.  Maybe the best of things.  And no good thing ever dies.”

6) Exercise Your Right to Exercise

I’m not one to write about endorphins, the hippocampus or the science behind exercise.  But I do know this: it feels great.  With so much confusion and uncertainty, even modest physical activity can clear our mind and intensify our resiliency.

Go for a run.  Take a walk.   Watch a yoga video.  Do the “Roxanne” burpee challenge. Whatever it is, take advantage of the time that would have been your commute or social time.  If you make it a habit, it will fuel your resilence.  And that habit and resilience will carry into your post-pandemic world.

7) Love the One You’re With

Relationships will be tested in a pandemic.  Distractions are at a minimum so, whether we like it or not, there is no getting away from each other!  But this is a time when we need each other more than ever.

Let’s love and appreciate the ones we’re with.  Tell your loved ones how much they mean to you.  That is first and foremost.  But we can’t be afraid to expand outside our circle.   Bury old grudges.  Re-connect with old friends on video calls.  Take advantage of the technology and embrace the vulnerability of the moment.

Resilence is a team sport and we are not going to get through this alone.

The Upside of a Crisis

There is a lot of fear in the world right now.  And news of death, sickness and disruption is everywhere.  We still have a long way to go.  But there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Let’s focus on the positive things in our lives while we are taking this healthy pause.  What is going right?  Who matters most?  What and whom do we cherish?  What are our true goals in life?

Take some time to reflect.  Take some time to appreciate all the people who have helped us get here.  Take some time to breathe.

This won’t last forever.  It’s all about resilience.