You did not cause this and you cannot control how others decide to deal with this situation.

You are not responsible for how other people act in this situation.

BUT there are many things within our control in this situation.

​You can control your actions, such as following the protocols for:

-washing your hands

-avoid touching your face, eyes or mouth

-avoid unnecessary travel, but if you do have to go out:

-avoid social gatherings

-do not come within 6 feet of others not in your same household

-wear a mask or a face scarf

When returning home:

-remove your shoes as soon as you re-enter your home

-follow the appropriate disinfecting steps for all your belongings (such as glasses, clothes, phones and other stuff you may have)

You can also control your own self-care, both physically and mentally. Browse this site to find the ways to do this that feel right for you.

Like you, people all around the world are dealing with the same mix of feelings and restrictions during this pandemic. You are not alone.

When the government talks about “social distancing” they are talking about maintaining physical distance, but this does not mean keeping socially isolated and distancing yourself mentally or emotionally from others. You might have already heard people replacing the word "social" with "physical" because no one wants you to feel socially cut-off from the people who bring light into your life.

Isolating yourself by staying home and not going out can be mentally and emotionally difficult, which can sometimes create other challenges. There are many ways to stay connected with friends and family such as audio and video calling (phone or devices), social media, online courses, webinars, online gaming, online extracurricular activities such as dance and exercise classes, including online services or apps like peer support chats and agencies like Kids Help Phone, Where to Start, Peel Children's Centre 24/7 Crisis Response, . Keep yourself feeling connected to others as part of maintaining a good network of support.

People are experiencing a variety of emotions from compassion, patience, calm and understanding to frustration, anger, sadness, loneliness. Your emotions and reactions are yours and no one else can tell you how to feel. There is no “right” or “wrong” way to feel. In fact, these feelings are to be expected.

Understanding these emotions and how someone can feel multiple emotions at the same time, or shift between emotions will help to ease any potential tension in the relationships you have with your loved ones.

Like we said in #1, you can’t control other people’s actions, so it’s important to also remember to not take your loved one’s behaviour personally. They are likely struggling with some of the same challenges as you and are trying to do their best to cope too.

If you’ve ever been in an airplane, as part of the safety review they tell passengers to always put on their own oxygen mask first before trying to help others. Taking care of yourself is important because you can’t help others if you are not well enough yourself to be of help.

​Part of taking care of yourself involves creating and maintaining a routine, know your limits and set healthy boundaries on how much you will do so you don’t over exert yourself. Make sure you take time for yourself and for the activities that bring you joy and happiness. Ensure you have a balance of connecting with others, and things that keep your mind and body active. Remember, you are no good to your loved one if you get sick too, so always practice the healthy steps you can practice within your control listed in #1.

Progress is made in small steps – even when it seems like there might not be progress at all. Celebrate the successes and remember to encourage yourself during the low, tough times. We are all human, and we all progress at our own pace.

When things are tough, remind yourself that you are doing the best you can.

It’s a healthy perspective to acknowledge that when you keep moving at a steady pace, focused on routine, and activities that help maintain balance in your life, that is success in the making and there is no one magic wand to wave or miracle to expect in order to enjoy what you have.

How you get there is sometimes more important than just getting there.

And when sometimes things don’t go as planned, it’s good to create a plan so you are prepared in what steps you feel will help you through that situation. Putting the plan in writing, makes it ready for you with what to do in case you need it. Not having to struggle figuring it out in the moment is a helpful strategy.

Click this link HERE to find some templates that may work for you.

Or click HERE for an interactive version of committing to your well-being. More activities like this can be found in The Healing Hub under WELLNESS in the navigation bar.