Come On Australia ~ We Are Better Than This!
Yes, for the very first time, many of us are living through a major world wide crisis. I certainly have never been through a situation such as this in my 50 plus years on this earth. That old curse of “May you live in interesting times” has certainly come home to roost in 2020.
People are understandably frightened, and stress levels have risen to heights not seen in decades. This is our new reality, and it is changing on a daily basis. Life is uncertain for us all.
So where does all these leave us? Over the past weeks it appears to leave us all fighting for supplies, like loo paper at our local supermarkets. A somewhat sad reflection on where society is at the moment. Granted, we are not the only nation to freak out, and stock pile groceries and loo paper, but we certainly have not covered ourselves in glory with our reaction to this crisis. Now of course, not everyone has had this reaction, but clearly many have – the empty shelves in most supermarkets are proof of that.
So where to from here? Well first we can acknowledge that as a society, we have not been living up to the Australian Spirit of “mate-ship” Aussies are known for. Okay so we had a brain fade – it’s not the end of the world. Now we need to take a deep breath and move forward with thought and care for others. Simply shop as you normally would, there really is no need to stock up like we are facing the end of the world. Remember to check on neighbours and friends, make sure they are well and if they are unable to get out, offer to do a shop for them.
Think outside the box, presuming everyone in your family is well, pack a picnic and head off to your nearest drive in and see a movie. You’ll all be safe in your own cars and it can been real fun. Dust off your board game collection and have a games night. Get creative!
In this time of people needing to self isolate, now is a good time to brush up on our phone skills, I don’t mean learning about new apps or emojis I mean actually making a phone call and talking to people. Nothing cheers someone up like the sound of a loved ones voice. It doesn’t need to be a long conversation, simply taking 10 mins out of your day to call a friend or relative who is isolated can make all the difference to their day.
Meanwhile remember self care is important too. Take time to de-stress, get some fresh air, Summer is drawing to a close here in Melbourne so make the most of the nice weather while is lasts. I know people feel the need to keep up with the latest news on this virus, but once evening comes around, switch off from the news. It will all still be there in the morning. Spend time reading or watching a fun movie or favourite TV show. Get plenty of sleep, and rest assured, as a people and a nation, we will get through this, and it will be much easier if we all look out for each other, and show kindness to everyone we meet.
Kathrine Carton ~ Counsellor
www.kcartoncounselling.com.au