#covid-19: over or under reaction?

Coronavirus is sweeping the world right now! It's a crazy time to be alive. You have probably noticed the bare shelves at your local grocery store. Why toilet paper is sold out, nearly everywhere, is a true mystery!!! You can blame it on me being a millennial, but I for one am keeping CALM! I never get too worried about the flu, viruses etc. I get my sleep, drink water and have always washed by hands....so disturbing to think that this is a new concept in society. Overall, I don't get overly worried or concerned about these types of things. It may be in part because I have't been immediately affected, my family hasn't died from any of the past virus scares (SARS, Ebola...) or the fact that I work in the real estate industry specializing in healthcare clients and am exposed to germs all of the time! I try to keep my immune system high and take normal precautions. I do come from a family who is overly cautious and tend to worry about things like this so that may also play a factor in why I dismiss it even more.

I read a funny meme the other day about how each enneagram number reacts to the Coronavirus and my "reaction" could not have been more off-base. It said that a typical 2 would worry about how they are going to take care of everyone during this crisis. I related more to a typical 7's response and want to take advantage of the cheap flights for a last minute vaca! Maybe my travels to Australia changed me more than I thought. (Go read my post about the enneagram for more information on that topic as well as my post about Australia and travel for more about that!) It's not that I am taking this whole thing lightly, it just doesn't scare me. I am optimistic and know that even if I get it, I will be okay. I will avoid contact with elderly so that they are safe, I will wash my hands and avoid contact with others, I will try to stay home as much as possible, but for the most part, I am going to continue to live my life.

I honestly am more annoyed than anything by the media. I am tired of the news created chaos. Tired of the people over dramatizing everything. I'm over seeing people wear masks and gloves thinking that it's helping. I'm also realizing how little people understand viruses and how uneducated they are on how to ration basic supplies and food. This massive overreaction, my opinion, is causing some to not have enough food to feed their families. If we all just stuck to business as usual, there wouldn't be an issue. People stocking up on hand sanitizer and paper products is just too much!! Calm down! At first I thought the meme's were funny, but now our society is shutting everything down left and right. I couldn't even attend my church on Sunday. Now hear me when I say that I think it is smart to air on the side of caution. But don't let this affect your life that much. Take it in strides. Roll with the punches. Stock up on cleaning supplies when you can. Share with a neighbor in need. Don't hoard the food at your local Sam's Club! And last but not least, don't underestimate the power of our God! He has everything in control. This could be a wake up call to you about what is important in life. This may bring realization of your insecurities that need dealt with. This may also reveal your lack of trust and faith that it WILL be okay and you DON'T have control. Whatever it may be for YOU, don't miss an opportunity to learn from this situation. I have already learned that people react very poorly to fear and panic which affects me and my family. I can better protect my family by being proactive and prepared for something like this to happen any day, not just react when it DOES happens. I don't need to live in fear that something could happen one day, but live with contentment knowing I will be able to combat whatever comes my way.

Keep your scriptures close during this time when the enemy sees fear as a perfect opportunity to creep in. Don't listen to the lies he will tell you. Don't let your faith waver because of an emotion and how you feel in a moment. God created us for these situation and he will not give us more than we can handle. We can rest in knowing that he equips of with abilities but makes up for all of our shortcomings. So, in short, there is nothing to do but trust and just keep living life and sharing this GOOD NEWS! That is what it is after all, good news! And what does the world need more at a time like this?

In a recent therapy session, my counselor told me that I am a truthsayer, aka a soothsayer, a profit. This means that I see and speak the truth. The dictionary defines it as "a person who speaks the truth, especially when the truth is contrary to conventional wisdom and goes against the norm. This is a gift that I have had since birth. I am a wing 6 on the enneagram scale, which this defines a 6 to a tee! Being a truthsayer has caused me a lot of difficulty, internal struggle and turmoil and lost me several relationships. I can't help what I see and how I see it. What I can do is share my truth and share the truth with others. I don't think that we have seen the end of the impact of this virus. I think this is just the beginning. So, be on guard. Be prepared, but not greedy. Be aware of your environment. Also, be aware of your energy that you portray to others because it affects people more than you know.