Note from Anita Galeana, co-founder.

I’ve found myself checking my iPhone, and reading the news on COVID-19 dozens of times throughout the day. Each headline sends a sense of unease through me. But I have lived long enough to understand that life is always uncertain, but I’ll get through these challenges too. So will you all.

Life as we know it can get turned upside down in a split second. Fear is a natural, healthy response to danger. However, the first thing to remember is, if you’re young and healthy, you most likely will be okay if and when you contract this coronavirus. The second main point to understand is that the goal over the next year, or until a vaccine is available, is to slow the progression of the epidemic so that people who may need life saving medical care can get it. If the transmission or spread of the disease is too fast, our hospitals may become overwhelmed.

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Another reality I personally would like to impress upon everyone, is that never before have our actions or inactions been so consequential to our loved ones, friends and neighbors. In other words, other people’s lives depend on each and every one of us. Community has never been more important than at this time in history. Those at risk are likely to be our grandparents, or people we know who have a pre-existing medical condition, such as lung or heart disease. It could be your neighbor who is battling cancer or a child who has asthma. So we all need to do our part and stay home.

At least 8 of my loved ones and close friends are in one of those high-risk categories. Many of my family is spread throughout the country and the world. So while I am very concerned, I don’t give in to fear, or panic, nor do I feel overwhelmed. But I pay close attention to my feelings.

These are some of my strategies while I am quarantined at home:

1. One day at a time, live in the moment

2. Learn the facts, not hearsay, from reputable scientific sources

3. Put down the iPhone and turn off the news/t.v. if you feel anxious

4. Call, text or email loved ones to check in

5. Spend quiet or alone time doing the things you love e.g. going on a walk, listening to music, watching a comedy on Netflix (laughter is the best medicine), write, draw, build something in your garage, organize

6. Don’t catastrophize or imagine a catastrophe out of what might or might not happen

7. Get plenty of sleep and eat well

Oren Jay Sofer recently wrote:

“Spiritual and emotional maturity doesn’t mean we never feel afraid. It means we have the capacity to self-soothe and see clearly during a crisis. It means we have enough balance and wisdom to not freak out when things go haywire, nor to cut ourselves off in denial and pretend we feel okay when we don’t.”