I have Restless Mind Syndrome. (OK, I made that up.) But my nickname with my business partners is, “Obsesses Too Much” so let’s just say there’s a reason I own a coffee mug that says, “Hold on. Let me overthink this.” I overthink just about everything. I tend to worry and I need to remind myself constantly that, “Worrying is like praying for what you DON’T want.”

Earlier this week I woke up in the middle of the night. I saw myself standing on the edge of a huge lake covered in new-fallen snow. As I looked out over that vast ocean of white all I could see was… nothing. Pure white nothing. And all I could hear was quiet. In that twilight time, between awake and asleep, the vision lasted only a moment. Then my mind started to think about what it was seeing and describe it in the way I just said it to you. Even the moments of description were pure and quiet like the snow. The only thing occupying my mind was the beauty and serenity of the scene before me.

Not once did I hear the dreaded “C” word.

We’re all a little too nervous these days. Worried. Becoming consumed by something we can’t control. Being cautioned not to get too close to one another. But it seems to me that, in difficult times, we need one another all the more. By all means, take every precaution you feel you need to take, but don’t let fear overtake you. Worrying more will not keep you well. As a matter of fact, worrying too much might actually weaken your immune system. Remember when your Grandma used to say, “Oh, dear, I’m just worried sick.” There’s a reason for that age-old adage. We must take reasonable steps and remember that panic never helps!

If you feel you can’t leave your house, reach out to someone you love who might be isolating too much… or tell a friend if you think you are isolating too much. Send a text or an email… Make a phone call… Share yourself any way you can. In the absence of a hug, even a text or a phone call is human contact. And by all means, find some way to laugh! My personal favorite is to call somebody who makes me laugh or who thinks I’m the funny one. But watching a comedy movie will suffice. It’s that old “Laughter is the best medicine” thing.

Whenever you feel fear coming up, take a moment and close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths and picture a scene like the one I described to you… or like the one in the picture above. Anything of beauty that makes you feel calm and grounded again. It may only take a moment to re-center yourself… or you may have to feel and breathe a little longer. You might need to do this several times a day. It seems so basic, but when we’re scared it’s important to remember, “Don’t forget to breathe.”

Please try this at home!

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