7 Life-Changing Habits to Build During the Pandemic

Scary times are upon us. We’re staying indoors, watching the news 24/7, and we’re afraid.

- Karen McGregor

Everyone around us is afraid. That’s because fear is super-contagious. But we don’t have to allow pandemic-driven fear and anxiety infect our lives. We can learn to rise above it. And when we do, we become positive influencers on everyone around us.

Overcoming fear requires you to do some intense work on yourself. But (to state the obvious) right now you have some time. Why not put it to good use? Instead of worrying and handwringing, develop some good spiritual habits to help you vanquish fear. They’ll pay off now when you need it most, but will also serve you (and others) once “normalcy” returns.

I believe the ancient wisdom of the 4,000-yea-rold Tao Te Ching can help us identify and break the “power patterns” that undermine your influence, create dysfunctional relationships, and otherwise squelch our potential. Here are seven habits to work on right now to overcome fear and influence others in a positive way:

Learn to grieve your losses and release your pain.

A lot of what you’re feeling right now is grief. You are grieving the loss of your life before COVID-19, and you are also grieving collectively with the rest of the world. Pain can be released through the portal of the heart. When you focus on your heart, a desire to release the pain of the past may arise. Even better, your heart knows how to do that without your mind interrupting.