Filipino ways to stay upbeat during a pandemic

Last Updated on May 29, 2023 by Ellen

We are healthy, we are safe, and yet, I am annoyed.

I think it’s OK for me to be annoyed at this point: by this global disaster; by wishing the best for people I love; by our travel lifestyle halted; by drinking instant coffee (bleh); by the spouse making wrong assumptions about my actions around the apartment…

Whatever.

Are any of you on lockdown feeling a little stir crazy, somewhat annoyed, and a little down, like me?

It’s OK. Period.

Back in Valencia, a friend gave me a special gift – a talisman. He knew I would face some tough times going forward. The object lifts me up and reminds me to pray, and to work at being a better person.

Progress, not perfection, is something I strive for. Sometimes I raise my voice (even if I don’t raise it first), sometimes I get annoyed too quickly because I cannot find patience for how my ego perceives it’s being treated. A clash with my ego is always my main problem.

Despite my faults and wrongs, I’m going to cut myself a break. I will move forward, one day at a time.

I’ll also say: I really am glad to have instant coffee. I’m really not that shallow. And, in this global disaster, we really are in a great place.

When I step back, take a breath and look again, it’s really not that bad.

Filipino ways to stay upbeat during a pandemic

Last week, the Facebook page of Aklan Province reposted some ways to try to stay positive in the face of bad news on top of bad news. The suggestions come from a mental health service called Hopeline PH. My favorite is lucky number seven.

I’ll repost the entire list here for readers, who also have likely been on lockdown and may be going a bit stir crazy. As you read, keep in mind things are done differently – and expressed differently – in the Philippines compared to the U.S.A.

Recommendations from a College of Psychology (ctto):

1. Isolate yourself from news about the virus. (Everything we need to know, we already know).

2. Don’t look for additional information on the internet, it would weaken your mental state and could cause somatization. Avoid sending chains and fatalistic messages. Some people don’t have the same mental strength as you (Instead of helping, you could activate pathologies such as depression).

3. If possible, listen to music at home at a pleasant volume.

4. Look for board games to entertain children, tell stories and future plans. 

5. Maintain discipline in the home by washing your hands, putting up a sign or alarm for everyone in the house.

6. Your positive mood will help protect your immune system, while negative thoughts have been shown to depress your immune system and make it weak against viruses.

7. Most importantly, firmly believe that this will pass and that the universe and a higher being called God is a universe of love and not punishment. 

Stay safe!
– Hopeline PH Team

Thanks for reading, “Filipino ways to stay upbeat during a pandemic”.

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