Some XCures for The Curse of Covid19
MEDIUM ARTICLE
Some XCures for The Curse of Covid19
By Michael J. Herman
Michael J. Herman is an award winning and Bestselling author of 15 books and the author of his forthcoming 15th book Side Hustle with Muscle: Stop Putting Your Side Hustle to The Side and Start Your small Business. His byline appears in more than 200 publications worldwide.
So it seems glaringly apparent that the new life to which we’re all still adapting has us getting closer while becoming more distant. We’re relating to each other much more often.
A recent report indicates reunions via media such as Zoom, Skype, Messenger, and other mobile apps have exploded due to the need for social distancing.
Psychologist Nicole Grill, a therapist at Kaiser Permanente in Los Angeles reports a huge increase in distress, loneliness, panic, and loneliness among her mostly elderly patients.
Even in my own family, members who have not seen each other’s faces for more than a decade are now zooming on a fairly regular basis. As reported on multiple alumni web sites, high school and college relationships have been renewed due to the explosion of video chat technology.
However, as close as we are becoming to loved ones and reuniting with friends long forgotten, there is a clear and present danger wafting across the landscape like a fog rolling in over the Golden Gate Bridge.
A fog is easy to manage. Either it lifts, or you move through it to disburse the vapor molecules. This however doesn’t lift. It doesn’t disburse. And the more it persists the deeper its roots may grow. It’s this: Fear and Distrust.
Either everyone is afraid of the possible infection of Covid19? Or they flaunt their cavalier and Laissez-faire attitudes towards the possible danger and concern for the health and safety of those around them. Those in fear create agitation with those with more casual perspectives.
While shopping this week I witnessed in 3 separate shopping locations store employees or other customers become hostile, threatening, and even physically abusive toward people not wearing masks.
It’s the new discrimination.
Forget the Blacks, Jews, Gays, Over-weights, foreigners, political party affiliations. The new discrimination is:
“Are you a Masker or not?!”
The lack of uniformity in the adoption of wearing masks comes from the vagaries inculcated by federal, state, and local administrations, as well as the media.
*6’ of physical separation in nearly all public places
*mandatory facial masks, even in places where it makes no sense
*limited if any interpersonal contact
*And the loss of the oldest forms of human connection… handshakes and hugs.
Whereas people looked each other in the eye, I observed more than 100 instances in less than 15 minutes in stores and other businesses where normal eye contact is commonly being averted.
This has to stop!
We have to find a way in spite of Covid19 to restore the common emotional touch of basic human interaction. We have to soften this callous that is forming on our preverbal wagging finger of blame, scorn, and ridicule.
But how in the world can we achieve this when masks will continue to be part of our sartorial splendor for some time?
EASY!
Drop the “I’m right” attitudes, and say nice things to each other.
When you insist on being right, you create an instant adversarial dynamic. Instead, ask, “Can I help?” “How is your day?” and “You look nice.” Try to laugh, or at least smile under your mask. Don’t worry. We know when you’re smiling, even under the mask.
Change your stance from ridged to inviting. This doesn’t mean come closer and breathe or cough on me. It means simply, be nice.
Get people on your side before you try to demand they make changes to your way of doing things. It’s amazing how easy going and comfortable people become when they are complimented and raised to a higher station.
You can get some people to do almost anything with the right hypnotic language. Tell them how pretty they are, or how smart they must be. Build up instead of tear down and let’s start putting the pieces back together.
We’re only 2 months into this thing. We can turn the course, lift the fog, and be friends once more.
For more tips on how to make people feel good and like you for absolutely no reason, stop crying like a baby and try being adorable and hypnotic like a baby. Everyone loves babies.
You can reach Michael @ Mike@SideHustleWithMuscle.com