It appears that the current pandemic meant I took another one of my “hiatuses” from Pat Does Words. It’s not that I haven’t been writing (I mean I did write a book after all!) but I haven’t been writing as much or as consistently. I’m sure my next blog post will be all about my self-hatred for that.

In the meantime, here’s a little piece I wrote for Medium. For those who don’t know, Medium is an awesome platform for writers to publish their work. It’s my third piece for them (the first was my acupuncture story and the second was my letter to the boys of Cheer). I’ve really enjoyed putting my work out there in a new way.

Anyway here are some thoughts I had about the pandemic. Enjoy!

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1. Everyone Experiences It Differently

Yes, we’re in a global pandemic. Yes, it affects everyone. But I’ve come to realize that every single person is experiencing it differently.

Some people are bored out of their minds at home. Others are busier than they’ve ever been. Some people are extremely lonely. Others haven’t had a moment to themselves.

Some people have work, others don’t. Some people are scared about their health or the health of their loved ones. Others are scared about the economy (in reality I think everyone is scared about both).

The point is this — we shouldn’t impose our experience onto anyone else. Your neighbor’s experience may not be the same as yours. In fact, it probably isn’t. Hold off on judgments.

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2. You Can’t Fix It

There is no leader, government, company, or organization that can single-handedly stop this thing. You alone, in all your humanness, certainly can’t stop it.

So stop trying.

Take the weight of the world off your shoulders. You don’t need to be a crusader right now, not for the human race, not for your family, not even for yourself. Loosen up the stronghold you have over things you can’t control.

A pandemic isn’t a call to action. It’s a call to inaction. And surviving each day is enough. So put the knife down.

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3. Unglue from Social Media

Social media is the great connector, especially during the age of lockdowns, quarantines, and shelters-in-place. But be weary of the vortex.

A few minutes scrolling through Facebook or TikTok can easily turn into a few hours. At that point, it isn’t about connection. It’s about numbing. It’s about giving your brain nonthoughts to not think. It’s empty calories.

Give yourself the opportunity to find some non-social media substance. Spend a little time away from your phone each day. Even 20 minutes can give you a release.

Also don’t engage in arguments online. You may as well stare at a wall in your house and scream that instead. Even if you’re right and they’re wrong, even if they’re disgusting and evil and you are a force for good, don’t engage. You won’t change anyone’s mind.

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4. Don’t Tether Yourself to Things that Move

Life as we once knew it has been uprooted and shaken out. Things are shifting and moving on a constant basis. We’re seeing the unchangeable go through dramatic change.

It’s important to take stock and learn to differentiate between moveable things and non-moveable things.

Moveable — jobs, economies, income, status, housing, material possessions, routines

Nonmoveable — connection with others, your heartbeat, laughter, stillness, your breath, nature

If you want to find steadiness, grab onto things that don’t move.

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5. Find Quiet

A chaotic world usually means a chaotic mind. The only remedy for chaos is stillness and quiet.

Maybe it’s meditation or quiet walks or a few minutes of breathing or painting your nails or gardening or looking through cookbooks. It doesn’t matter. Find things that bring you toward quiet and stay there for a few moments.

Also, read.

Read fiction. Read non-fiction. Read new books and classics. Read dense books and fluffy books. Read a little or read a lot. It doesn’t matter. Just read.

It keeps you from being stupid. I promise.

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6. Control Was Always an Illusion

Are times uncertain right now? Yes.

Have they always been uncertain? Actually, yes.

We have never been able to predict the future. We’ve never been able to control it. We just tricked ourselves into thinking we could.

This might be a terrifying fact. It could also be an opportunity to let go. If just about everything can change in an instant, why spend energy trying to control the uncontrollable?

That is a waste and a fool’s errand.

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7. Kindness Matters

It may be cheesy but being kind matters. It’s really matters. At a time when everyone is a little scared, a little on edge, kindness acts as a balm. It can alleviate people’s suffering, even if just for a moment.

Be kind to others. Be kind to your family. Be kind to yourself.

If nothing else, it makes tough times a tiny bit more bearable.