Positive thinking is a way to regain control during times of distress and uncertainty when fear tries to dominate. Choose to not focus on potential negative outcomes. Make a conscious pivot away from the negative source/stressor and towards a more positive focus.

2. Relaxation Techniques

Relaxation practices improve mood, reduce stress hormones, slow breathing, decrease heart rate, and reduce frustration, all of which are associated with fear. Relaxation techniques include yoga, massage, aromatherapy, music, and art, among others.

3. Breathe

Breathing helps you regain a sense of calm in the midst of fear. Breathing offers the opportunity to take the time to pause, refocus, and process what is happening and what you are feeling. Be Patient Fear can cause irrational thoughts and poor decision-making.

Take some time to just sit with your feelings so you can realize that the fear isn’t valid, help you reason through the fear and develop a solution to adequately address it.

4. Self-Care

Self-care is a way to address the mental and emotional impacts fear can have on the body. Self-care is about prioritizing the protection of well-being and happiness, particularly during periods of stress induced by fear. Methods of self-care include healthy lifestyle choices such as diet and exercise, meditation and other forms of relaxation, stress management, and journaling.

5. Get Informed

Fear is often fueled by the unknown. What we don’t know seems to cause us to panic and think about worst-case scenario situations, especially during a crisis. Manage fear with information from reputable sources. Once we understand a situation or scenario, we are in a much better situation to address it.

6. Gratitude

Being grateful can serve as a powerful means of refocusing attention and energy when in the midst of fearful situations. Gratitude can ground you in positive thoughts when fear tries to overwhelm and override. Humor In crisis situations we are often only surrounded by the negativity and severity of the situation at hand. It is hard to remain afraid when you’re laughing

After, close to two years, it should surprise no one, many are, at the least, tired of this horrendous pandemic, or even, far - more, fatigued, and sick - and- tired of it, and the impact on our lives! However, this should not, and cannot justify, the utter - disregard of some, in terms of respecting the greater good, and abiding by basic, common sense, public health, protective measures! How did this become another, political issue, with so many, apparently putting their personal/ political interests and agenda, first? How many more must get infected, hospitalized, put others, at - risk, and/ or die? Many seniors have lost their battle, as have the immune - compromised, and we still do not know all the potential longer - term ramifications and impacts! Why does this nation, despite its efforts and spending, have, among, the lowest vaccination rates, in the world, among first - tier, developed nations? Everyone is tired of this, and would like, a return to normal, but, the efforts of a minority, harms our overall efforts, and the potential to optimize our efforts! With that in mind,this article will attempt to briefly examine and review this, and why, we must do better.

1) Conspiracy theories: For some reasons, some prefer to believe unfounded, opinions, and accept them, instead of facts. It began with denials, transformed to accusations, and created harmful resistance. Is there anyone, who has not witnessed or experienced the loss of someone close? While, everyone is entitled to an opinion of their own, they are not, to their own set of facts. It is one thing if your actions only harmed you, but quite - another, when it puts others,at - risk!

2) Politics: Why has this become political, like so many, apparently, common sense, issues, have? There is a huge difference between a viable solution,and well - considered, plan, as opposed to blaming and complaining, denials, and stubbornness!

3) Data and science matter: Mike Bloomberg likes to say, "In God We Trust. All others, bring data,." History shows, it takes a science - based, plan, endorsed and supported by public health, medical, and scientific personnel and experts, to create a meaningful, fact - based, efforts.

4) Mandate resistance: Although we have seen public health mandates, in the past, it seems we are experiencing the most polarized nation, in recent memory! Just because one doesn't agree, does not mean, he knows more than the experts!

Either, we proceed, in a more unified manner, or we prolong the horrors. Wake up, America, before many others, lose this battle! It's up to, each of us!