Change your mind

Coronavirus. I’ve said it all. You are not only familiar with the disease but with all of its ramifications as well, school closings, gym closings, restaurant closings, event cancellations. You might even be one of those who is more deeply impacted because you cannot go to work or worse yet, you have the virus. Hopefully you will recover. We should all “recover” from both the real dangers and the imagined ones. Bottom line, life is challenging, crazy making and overwhelming right now. What to do?

Aside from the positive suggestions I have heard lately, like doing more things with your family at home, eating together, playing board games, TALKING WITH EACH OTHER – I would like to share with you what I am trying to do, daily, hourly, sometimes by the minute. I practice changing my mind. I, like most of you, find myself caught up in the panic, the fear and stress over things that MIGHT happen as a result of this terrible outbreak. Will we lose all of our retirement funds due to a stock market gone wild? Will either I or my husband (older folks with some underlying health issues) get this disease and not recover? Will the U.S. become a third world country? Will life NEVER be the same? To avoid going down any of these very dark roads, I rise above it all. I look at the constants. I count my blessings.  I focus on God and his promises for the next life. I feel his presence and as a result the fears over what might happen evaporate before my eyes. What you focus on is the direction you will go.

Do I watch the news? Yes, but in limited amounts.  Then I get lost in a wonderful movie or series that holds my interest. I read the Bible and listen to God tell me not to fear. I read a good book. I exercise! At home, of course. My gym is closed. I change my mind about how awful things are and see how good God is. I know I am not alone in any of this chaos. He is with me during all of it, comforting me with his words, holding me in his arms like my earthly father did when I was a small child. Or how my mother would comfort me when I was frightened or sad. “There, there,” she would say. “Mommy knows. It’s alright. I’m here.” When we are grown and our parents are no longer around, it’s nice to know our heavenly father is there to give us the peace and comfort we got as children.

Re-focus your thoughts. Do what you need to do to stay safe and healthy. Use common sense and make the adjustments, albeit inconvenient and annoying, but smart. Do the necessary and then change your mind. See the wonders of nature, think of things or if you can, do things that bring you joy, like holding your child, your dog, your cat, your horse! In the bible Jesus tell us 365 times to “Fear not.” There was a reason for that.

Distract yourself with things that make you happy. Turn off the news. Thank God for what you have. Change your mind! God bless.