COVID CRAZY!

Hey yall!

I am writing today because times are somber right now. People are afraid, sad, and confused by what is happening across the world right now. COVID-19/Coronavirus has caused us to look at things very differently these last couple of weeks and it currently doesn’t appear to be an end in sight. I am not sure how things are where you live but here in San Antonio, Texas people are panicking and emptying the stores of the basic necessities. There is a limit on the amount of food items you can buy, there is no tissue, Lysol, paper towels, or bleach items on the shelves. Store employees can’t stock their shelves fast enough and people are hoarding. It’s bananas really. I have never experienced anything like this in my lifetime.  I know we are all trying to cope with the quarantine, social distancing, and children being out of school. Naturally, a situation such as this can be stressful, overwhelming, and cause endless amounts of fear. My questions is what are you doing during this crisis to pass time and cope?  Read below to see what I have been doing and maybe you can join in with me.

My way of coping during the coronavirus pandemic:   

1. Not feeding into the hype. Wait before you judge me…I don’t mean I am not taking this seriously because I am. I am social distancing, following local mandates, working from home, staying up to date on what is happening in the world, and I am ensuring I have enough food in my home in case we are quarantined for an extensive amount of time. BUT, I am not panicking, I am not hoarding, I am not living in fear, and I am not out here fighting over food and toilet paper. I am not being reckless but I am also not trying to take everything from everyone else. So, if you are the person that's hoarding and selfishly taking, I get that you are afraid and you want to ensure your family is taken care of but so do we. So, PLEASE STOP!

I truly believe that if we continue to buy things the way we always have and supply our homes with food and cleaning products as we always have in the past then we wouldn’t be facing this supply shortage. The problem is being created by fear, panic, and overbuying.

2. I have been taking breaks from the media. This includes watching, reading, and listening to things related to the current pandemic. I know you want to stay abreast with what's going on but absorbing this information day in and day out can be upsetting and detrimental to your health and the amount of stress you feel. Your mind needs a break.

3. I know that our response to this crisis can change some of the narrative. So I want to help change the narrative. When we look back on this moment in history (because this too shall pass) the story doesn’t have to be, “there was a food shortage, people were fighting and hurting each other over toilet paper, there was a supply shortage, etc.” If we change our response now we can eliminate some of this scariness and change the future narrative of this crisis situation. I’d much rather be able to say we banned together, respected each other, we shared what we could and bought only what we needed…but, that is just my opinion.

4. I am continuing to do things I enjoy. Example: Emanuel and I are doing a virtual wine tasting tonight with one of our favorite Texas wineries. This is allowing us to 1. enjoy and make the most of our time together. Which has been great! (Now, he get on my nerves sometimes but I wouldn't have it any other way. lol) And 2. Do something we enjoy doing and that we would be doing on a normal day if we could. So my advice to you is to continue to read your self help books or romantic novels, step outside of the box and do some of the many virtual activities that local businesses are rolling out such as yoga, zumba, and hiphop dance. Don't stop doing those things that bring you joy. This allows you to unwind and re-connect with yourself and who you are outside of this pandemic. 

Also, reach out to those people around you. Check on them and set up group texts and zoom meetings just to laugh and chat with your family and friends. Stay involved. (Trust me you can't catch COVID-19 virtually lol)

5. I am supporting local businesses by continuing to eat out whenever I can. This allows us to save food in our home while still supporting local businesses who would otherwise not make it through these tough times. We don’t want our local businesses to close down and never recover due to this pandemic; so remember Ubereats, Favor, and other food delivery services are offering free delivery daily and nearly all of the restaurants have moved to curbside service or will deliver to you personally (hands free and no contact delivery of course).

6. Join me in taking this time to reflect and be grateful for all the things we have and don’t have. All the moments, memories, and opportunities. I recently started taking an online class through Yale University and it has forced me to get back into something I was doing daily just a few months ago. Keeping my gratitude journal. I hadn't written down what I am grateful for since January of this year; so it was much needed. During times like this it's so easy to get caught up in feeling down, depressed, and hopeless or to simply find ourselves complaining a lot more about small things that really don't matter. Use this time to see all the good that is present in your life. Look beyond our current situation and be thankful for those things we often overlook.

7. If you have followed me for a while you know I believe there is a lesson in every experience. So join me in taking this time to identify what is being shown to us so vividly. With all of this happening right before our eyes there is a lesson to be learned. What you need to see or learn from this can be totally different from what I need to learn but if we can one day share I'd love to hear it.

There are several things we can do to cope with the COVID-19 quarantine and social distancing if it appears to be affecting you in a negative way. Above are some things I am doing. Whatever you are doing to deal and cope with this situation I implore you to just always be good, do good, think good, and go good. It is the best thing you can do for the world right now. Be impactful, be positive, and be strong. One person can make a difference.

 "There is a lesson in living."-L. Hollins 

XOXO

Lashonda

L. Hollins S.P.E.A.KS

One of our many wine tasting events with Becker Vineyards during the quarantine. We have another tasting Wednesday! You can buy online, have it shipped to you, and join in on the tastings with us!