All of us are sharing in the effects of the coronavirus. To say these have been difficult times is an understatement. Our lives and livelihood have been shaken. Some have paid for it will all they have.

Now, more than ever, our attitude, actions, and acceptance will determine what our lives look like at the other end of this crisis. We need to ask ourselves, how can we make something sweet out of something so sour?

Acceptance

This is where we need to start. Our human life is conditional and impermanent. Despite our best efforts, things change. All that we love and would hold on to slips through our fingers like water. There is no way to keep it, and yet we try over and over again. This causes us so much suffering.

Breath… Let it go!

Acceptance is shown to improve emotional well-being, improve self-esteem, and even physical pain. Acceptance as a practice can be achieved through a series of contemplations.

First, be present. Find a quiet place and rest the mind. Observe your thoughts, emotions, and feelings. Try to do this without judgment. This is the observer’s mind.

Second, name the emotions you are feeling or write them down. You may be experiencing anger or sadness as a result of the pandemic. Perhaps you lost a job or are lonely and feeling isolated. Whatever you are feeling, accept it. Tell yourself, “This is my condition. It cannot be changed, but I can choose how I respond to it. I accept this condition as my own.”

Third, choose a new path through a positive attitude and action.

Attitude

Hopelessness is the enemy of acceptance. All of us have experienced this emotion. It steals our passion and optimism and prevents us from acting. The root of hopelessness is wrong view. It is a cognitive distortion that tells us that conditions cannot be different, so why try to change them. Hopelessness is a negative feedback loop that draws us deeper and deeper away from our potential, our happiness, and our acceptance.

To improve our attitude also requires an observant mind. We must be aware of our own negative automatic thoughts such as “I can’t do this,” or “I’ve tried this in the past, and it hasn’t worked,” or “I’m a failure, and I’m bound to fail again.” The evidence for these thoughts is almost always based on a finite, overvalued series of experiences.

Positive affirmations are one way to improve attitude. I recommend making a list of positive statements and reading them aloud each morning. To deepen this practice, I recommend reflecting on each statement for a minute or two, connecting these statements to past experiences that make them true.

Another way to improve attitude is through gratitude. Each morning I reflect on all the things I’m grateful for: my health, my family, my job, my mind. The important thing here is to focus on what you have and not what you don’t. This practice is beneficial for overcoming a hopeless attitude because it helps us reinforce the tools we have for self-improvement.

Lastly, a reflection on adversity is a powerful practice to improve attitude. Consider the adverse conditions humans have faced throughout history.  Think about all the opportunities we have compared to them. Think about someone who inspires you who has overcome tremendous adversity. Aspire to be like them. This will lead you to the best version of yourself.

Action

A choice is only as powerful as the actions that proceed it. By cultivating acceptance and a positive attitude, we can take the challenges life throws at us and turn them into something good.

Everything we do, everything we say is powerful. The universe moves by our actions. Our lives create ripples through space and time that will exist long after we are gone. Through our finite, impermanent existence, we make a permanent mark on space-time. This eternal memorial is ours to shape.

I hope you make something beautiful.