It would be fair to say that Covid - 19
has reshaped the global landscape presenting a public health challenge that appears
to have confounded the majority of governments around the globe. And yet with
all the advances in technology, the ability to share information and best
practices, the advancements in health care it’s somewhat surprising to me that
the only way forward would seem to be the dependency of a vaccine, just saying.
When you pause for a moment and think
about the global distribution of vaccines, the cost implications and the
availability to third world countries there seems to be a discrepancy on how
this roll out will meet the needs of all parties concerned. Add to that the flexing
of political muscle, egos and agendas alarm bells begin to ring.
Back on the home front were seeing rising
unemployment. For many because of the sectors they are in, re-employment will not be an
option. For those who have worked all their lives, there will be a rude awakening
trying to access benefits only to be told because they’ve been prudent and have
savings there will be little to no immediate support. As a result, they will be able to
buy fewer goods and services and will see a fall in their standard of living.
What’s the knock-on effect? The longer
someone stays unemployed they begin to lose their skills and ability to work. Which
can lead to a loss of confidence, leading to stress, anxiety and depression. Factoring
in the cost of childcare we now see an additional barrier to re-entering the
job market and additional pressure on the stability of families who are already
struggling to survive.
Every morning when we wake, we have to
decide will we thrive? Or take a dive? Our thoughts, our internal dialogue can have a massive impact on how we
start and finish each new day. It has been said that 70% - 80% of our thoughts
are negative. If left unchecked can result in low self-esteem, less clarity, mental
ill-health, less energy, less sleep and in general a poor quality of life.
It is
for this reason, if none other that immediate action be taken to counter the
negative thoughts, feelings and conversations and replace them with optimism
and a positive outlook on life. Changing the internal dialogue and becoming
your own cheerleader can be the difference between life and death.
May marks the month of Mental Health Awareness. During this crisis,
many of us have experienced a mental health problem or seen a loved one
struggle with mental health associated problems. We’ve seen that the support we
all need just isn’t there. Accessing your doctor’s surgery is limited to
telephone or online consultations and appointments rewarded to those savvy
enough to navigate the sea of online questions.
With more and more people complaining about
feeling isolated and on the verge of a breakdown let's raise our game and make a
concerted effort to connect with family, friends, colleagues and neighbours.
Connection is all about relating to one another and feeling understood. Let’s
make this week a springboard for building new connections at work, school and
within our local community changing a life one day at a time.
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