Pandemic
There is a cliché that says that “Difficult situations build character.” The current epidemic should make us stronger as global citizens. I participated in an online leadership event last Friday, whereby one of the speakers was Gina Brenna Butz, who is the author of a new book titled Making peace with change: Navigating life’s messy transitions with honesty and grace. The event was not only life-changing but was very relevant to the current situation people from all parts of the world are facing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. I would like to recommend that you read this book.
The event was full of lessons, and I would like to share with you some of them. To reorient the audiences in her lessons, Gina Brenna Butz told the story of her marriage. She was married to a person from a different culture, religion, and geographical location. Transitioning into her new life was difficult for her. She made an unconscious decision to soldier through and ignore her feelings. However, other people could see that she was going through a tough period.
When people are going through different situations they tend to think that pain and suffering are wrong and should be avoided at all costs. People tend to ignore the bad things happening in their lives. However, Butz taught us that this is an unhealthy way of navigating through difficult situations, and it does not allow a person to grow. At the moment, many people are going through different situations such as fear of the unknown, pain, and death of a loved one as the coronavirus continues to ravage the world. Some people are going through the current epidemic by ignoring their feelings, worries, and pain. For example, some individuals may avoid watching the news or looking outside. Instead, they may spend all their time playing video games, watching movies, or sleeping. This is not a healthy way to go through a rough situation, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
To sum up, I would like to remind you that there is nothing wrong with breaking down in tears or asking for help when you are overwhelmed by the current pandemic. Also, always strive to own up your negative emotions and do not attempt to hide or ignore them. To be able to grow as an individual, you need to be aware of the toll the current epidemic is having on you, those around you, and the world.