The Black Swan Event
The black swan event of the coronavirus pandemic is unprecedented in our lifetimes and it’s hitting the whole world hard. The publishing industry is working to pull through this. Authors, publishers, all others are hurting. Events are canceled, and for some of us, parts of our lives seem to have come to a complete stop.
We’re asked to practice social distancing; some of us are sheltering in place, and this can induce anxiety in most of us. Losing our regular routine, be it driving to work, going out to eat, working out at the gym, heading to the library, not to mention anxieties over the health and wellbeing, financial problems included, of our own and loved ones… It’s a lot!
We don’t know how long this will last. This may be our new norm for the next few months or longer. For now, all we can do is figure out the best ways to cope with the stress this inevitably brings.
How can we manage anxiety during these times? Reading and writing seem obvious, but what if you find yourself too anxious to do either?
We still have things to be thankful for. For us, they include the internet that brings the world to us. Working in your pajamas? Yes, please. The ability to read? A blessing! Artists and inventors who make our world better! Cat videos on Instagram! And the weekend is coming. What are you thankful for?
Though we’re physically isolated, we can still check in with people on the phone, via email, or yes, social media. The friends who don’t have family nearby, those old classmates who always made you laugh, the elderly relative across the country or on the other side of the world… This is the time to check on them. Hearing from you may be the exact thing they need now. Who are you reaching out to?
And yes, we need to make some adjustments. We have to let go of some things, but maybe that’s not all bad. What if no longer having the time to make an SHTF plan is what pushes you to greatness? What if being on lockdown together is a chance to reconnect and put your loved ones first? What if this crisis was the push you needed to stop procrastinating and finally finish your book? If you have fewer distractions, if you’re able to focus while sheltered in place, you may emerge in a few weeks with a project you didn’t expect to complete in 2020. It may not be THE one you planned on, but you could make this a productive time. Maybe not today, but once you’ve adjusted to this new norm…
We can and will weather the storm as a community.
Stay safe and stay positive!
The Coriolis Crew
