Name
your fears and prepare
Believe it or not, my greatest fear when I worked in
hospitals was blood. I fainted in the operating theatre and in the ER. My
nursing colleagues knew that I was pretty useless when it came to trauma,
surgery and first aid. I knew this too, but I soldiered on and was happiest
when I was assigned to work in the medical, geriatric or paediatric wards where
there was less visible blood.
This all changed when I studied midwifery. I found myself scooping
handfuls of blood into stainless steel jugs to measure blood loss after women
had given birth without an ounce of squeamishness. I weighed and measured placentas,
cut limp umbilical cords, washed blood-smeared babies and checked women for
haemorrhaging.
I had faced my fears and found my calling.
Fear of the unknown often stops us from doing the things we
would love to do. Facing our fears can make us strong. It’s our first step into
the unknown. Fear makes us cautious, and that’s good, but it shouldn’t make us
afraid. People who buckle to their fears become trapped, and learn to believe
their own excuses. Facing our fears helps to boost our self-confidence. And the
reward? An adrenaline/endorphin rush when you say: ‘I did it!’
Covid-19 has made us apprehensive and afraid. Indecisions and
wrong decisions by leaders have left us feeling insecure. We’re asking: how
much longer? Will this ever end? Will life ever be ‘normal’ again? We want to
do the right thing and avoid chaotic catastrophe. So, how can our
fears be alleviated and how can we prepare for the future?
At the start of the COVID crises, my daughter asked me.
‘What do you fear the most Mom?’
I told her my fear was the safety of our children and their
families. My fear was also for my friends at the hospital outpatients. Will we
be neglected when the surge of COVID-19 victims hits the hospital?
I am happy to say that our children, each in their own way,
are coping incredibly well. So, my first fear has been alleviated. Social media
is helping us to keep in touch with one another, and share the antics of the
grandchildren who are oblivious to the seriousness of the situation.
With regards to my hospital friends, we are also keeping in
touch, and we encourage one another to stay strong, honour hospital appointments,
take our medications and not become overwhelmed with bad news. We know that stress
will only add to our problems.
It has also been important for me to stay focused on the
projects I had started in the new year. Writing opportunities, keeping up with a daily routine and enjoying hobbies like hand-crafts, cooking and baking for my
husband who has been forced to quit smoking and is denied his daily beer.
It’s also important to keep up my early morning routine of
prayer and meditation, journaling and reading. This sets the tone for my day. A
to-do list helps me to prioritise. TV is a night-time luxury that we both look
forward to. Much as I would love to mooch on the couch to watch TV all day or
stay in bed with a book, these won’t be good habits to get into. A bad rhythm
will make it all the harder to recover After COVID.
Face your fears today. List them, talk to a
friend/spouse/family about them. Find solutions. Prepare for after lockdown. A
positive mindset is all that you need.
