By: Tripp Vistica
April 2, 2020
For the past three months, the entire world has been facing a crisis unlike it has ever known. By now, the COVID-19 virus has affected everyone in more ways than I can count. Although we are facing a global viral outbreak with no cure and no end in sight, it does not mean that there are not any silver linings to this crisis.
In no way am I saying that the COVID-19 is a good thing, because I believe the that it is a horrible situation for us all. However, I think it’s best to remain positive. I wonder what good might come from this, and I believe there is some good that will come when this nightmare is over. I know the bad will outweigh the good, but I think it’s best to focus on the good possibilities while we face the coronavirus.
In an interview with the Dean of the Lowenberg College of Nursing at the University of Memphis, Dr. Lin Zhan, she stressed the importance of living a healthy lifestyle during this viral outbreak. Dr. Zhan’s advice to live a healthy lifestyle is to eat a healthy diet, get healthy sleep, do some physical activity, keep a positive attitude and a smile on your face. Personally, I would add that if you feel like you can’t smile and keep a positive attitude, then you should fake it. Do what’s called, ‘Fake it, till you make it’.
I’m taking all of Dr. Zhan’s advice, especially when it comes to keeping a positive attitude. If I didn’t keep a positive attitude throughout this crisis, what would motivate me to do anything? I can’t just sit at home worrying about family and friends, and I can’t stop living my life all together waiting for this to end. I have to find some silver linings while facing this viral threat, because that is the only way for me to stay motivated during this pandemic.
Everyone needs motivation. It’s what gets us out of bed every day and do what we have to do every day. It’s unhealthy to stay depressed and unmotivated, like many people are today because of the coronavirus. Staying in bed depressed and doing nothing all day won’t help anything. It will only make you more depressed and anxious for this pandemic to end, so don’t dwell on how bad the situation the world is facing right now. Think of something you can do daily that makes you happy.
Thanks to Dr. Zhan’s advice, I have found many things I love to do that I didn’t have the time for before which is the silver lining for me to working from home. Every day I motivate to do the best thing I can for myself which is working on my journalistic skills. I’ve also found the time to do things like workout every day and pick on my guitar for a little while. However, the best part about working from home for me is that I get to spend much more quality time with my dog. Honestly, he is my biggest motivation every day, and I can’t think of a better time for unconditional love that a dog gives you than right now during these trying times.
I’ve also realized to look at the COVID-19 outbreak as a great opportunity to better myself as writer, journalist and reporter. While many other professions are working from home, they are still doing the same thing they were before COVID-19 only from a different location. Meanwhile, I feel like this is the time for writers, journalists and reporters to shine, because the whole world’s eyes are on us. So, I believe this is an opportunity for us to do our best work. We need to hone-in our journalistic skills and put them to the best use we can, because the world is looking to us for answers.
Try to think of this pandemic as an opportunity to do your best work during these trying times, because this a period in history that no one will forget. So, the silver lining for people in journalism is that you can use this time to do your best work which could go a long way in your career, if you decide to make the most out of this opportunity this horrific pandemic has given us. So, my suggestion for everyone is to keep a positive attitude while we all face this, and to hopefully face this together by supporting one another. Now more than ever we need to stick together as a society, support each other and keep a positive outlook. I believe by doing these three things, we can emerge as a better society than before COVID-19.
Tripp Vistica 