“We are in this together” are words I hear constantly these days. It is an absolute truth. Now more than ever, we are dependent on each others’ actions for the well-being of the world. It is in times of need that we witness the best (and worst) of humanity. Let us, be our best. Here are some ways you can help during the world pandemic.
#StayTheFuckHome
It is not complicated. Just do as this trendy hashtag says and #staythefuckhome. Regardless whether you have tested positive or not, or whether you have any symptoms or not, just listen to the experts’ advice and stay home. Not taking this seriously can have serious repercussions and continue the spread of covid-19. It is so crucial that governments are no longer messing around with this. Disobeying this rule could end up in hefty fines and/or criminal charges for those who were told by health providers to quarantine. So just be proactive, listen to the experts and respect the self-quarantine call for all.
Shop for one month’s worth, no more.
No, you do not need a million rolls of toilet paper. Think about it, does your household go through a roll of toilet paper a day? Probably not. One pack of 24 rolls should suffice. Just do like you would for your regular shopping except grab a few more essentials and staple items, (Reilly will have some pantry staples for you later this week) enough for about one month let’s say. Don’t be selfish.
Shop local
Those of you who have been shopping local even before the pandemic, I applaud you. Those who simply didn’t think about, start now! Your local pizza shop is probably owned by a hard working family that struggles to pay the bills. The concept that all business owners are rollin’ in dough is simply wrong (even if they do own a pizza shop, ha). Being a small business owner and entrepreneur is HARD work. Small and medium sized businesses are the backbone of our economy. Do not worry, Amazon will get through this. But your local shop is struggling right now. Help them keep the lights on.
Continue paying the extra help
If you can afford it, continue paying your babysitter, nanny or cleaner. If you cannot afford the full wage, help with something. I have a cleaner that comes once every two weeks to help out with the heavy duty stuff. She messaged me to ask me whether she could come as usual. I could tell that she was eager to work and make a living. Unfortunately, I cannot have her come over since we have been told to self-quarantine. I am lucky to be in a position where, at the moment, finances are not an added stress. So I decided to pay her a partial wage. I couldn’t do the regular wage since I have some family members I am concerned about and will probably soon need help. But I wanted to help her. She has become an important part of our lives and any little you can do to help others, you should do it. Now more than ever.
Call the lonely souls
I am in self-quarantine with my little family and even if at times I feel I need some social-distancing from them (no judging; dealing with a 17-month old baby with a hubby who works all day can be demanding. I need “me” time). Most of the time I feel so blessed to have them. My baby keeps me busy and gives me good laughter, my husband gives me comfort and amazing conversations. It makes me think, what about those in quarantine by themselves? Go on. Pick up the phone and find out how they are doing.
Motivate each other
It is sooooo tough to kick yourself in the b**tt and do something productive these days. It is also easy to let yourself go #pjsallday. If you feel that way, you can be certain that so do others. So get up, take initiative and ignite change. Come up with a positive daily goal and motivate others to join you. I decided to push myself to do a workout every morning. I needed accountability but also I wanted to positively influence someone else. So my friend and I decided to tag team and do it together. Every morning, we FaceTime jump on our stationary bikes and keep each other company.
Donate
Yes, a lot of people out there are struggling. But also, some of us are counting our blessings. So let’s share the goods and help the less fortunate during this world pandemic. There are few ways you can help here. I always recommend starting with those closest to you; your family and friends. But if you can afford going beyond that, here is a list of places that need your financial support so they can help others:
Canada:
https://www.canadahelps.org/en/donate-to-coronavirus-outbreak-response/
United States:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/03/21/how-you-can-help-during-coronavirus/
Worldwide:
https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=7779#group-470
While it is important to help others during the world pandemic, do not forget about yourself. Self-care is important. We all have our struggles but it is important to remain positive. So don’t forget to meditate or pray and count your blessings. Oh, and don’t forget to wash your hands. 😉
We are all in this together. Xo
