Make Lemonade Of Lemons

 ‘Bhaiyyaaa,’ said Rahul on the video call. ‘Locked down for three weeks and I don’t know what to do.’

‘Yup,’ said Rinku. ‘With all this uncertainty I don’t know if I should study or laze away.’

‘Suddenly we’ve got all the time in the world,’ said Rakesh. ‘I’m wondering how to make the best of this. What do you think?’

Rinku started. ‘Study, clean, learn new things, help at home, learn to cook, exercise…’

‘Watch shows,’ said Rahul. ‘Browse, catch up on my sleep, talk to my friends...’

‘Whoa!’ laughed Rakesh. ‘I’m already feeling overwhelmed and stressed. I feel the best thing to do during these days is to keep our body, mind and soul well-nourished. So we emerge happier and stronger from this experience. Let’s make a plan. Something we can execute and feel good about.’

‘Bhaiyya,’ said Rahul. ‘How can we feel good in these times? It’s scary.’

‘Rahul,’ said Rakesh. ‘What scares us is the fear of the unknown. So, by doing little things that we know, we can move away from fear. Then, by doing small things that we can achieve every day, we can feel good about our little victories. That’s the objective - to feel good through this stressful period.’

‘How bhaiyya?’ asked Rinku.

‘Let’s set up a routine of small victories daily,’ said Rakesh. ‘Small doses that give us a sense of accomplishment. Take physical well-being for example. Anything that gets you moving – including doing dishes, sweeping, mopping or any other household chore - gets a tick. You score.’

‘Oh ok,’ said Rinku. ‘For mental well being, I propose to study, just a little, every day, so I feel like I achieved something. And do stuff and play games that keep me mentally active. A couple of wins there.’

‘I want to chat with my friends and family, and share a few laughs,’ said Rahul. ‘Does that count bhaiyya?’

‘That’s great for everyone’s emotional well-being,’ said Rakesh.  ‘It counts. Also, talking with family about our fears, hopes, stories, helps us feel connected and supported. It’s the perfect time for that.’

‘Yes bhaiyya,’ said Rahul. ‘We could easily score a few wins every day.’

‘Yes,’ said Rakesh. ‘But don’t stress about them. The idea is to stay in good space and enjoy yourself through this period. Laugh, listen to music, have fun and nourish yourself. Do things that make you feel happier and avoid things that drag you down - like unnecessary news, negative people, scary predictions. Tick off your little round of victories every day, and you’ll emerge happier, stronger, kinder and gentler on the other side.’

‘Yes,’ said Rahul. ‘I’m going to make chai for everyone at home from today. Yoohoo!’

Pro Tip: Organise your time to nourish your body, mind and soul. Set doable routines every day and slot time for some exercise, work, study, family and friends. Tick them off daily to enjoy a sense of accomplishment - and emerge stronger.

 

Exercise: Ask the students to list the little things they can do that make them feel satisfied in a day. From making a bed, to putting shoes in place, reading a page, doing five minutes of exercise - tell them to pick a few routines and tick them off each day. It will make them feel like they accomplished something and make them feel good about themselves.


 

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