Alright, there's a ton of uncertainty now with anxiety levels running high. We are currently experiencing, as twitter calls it, a "DISASTER VOLTRON." In light of this global crisis I thought I'd share what I'm doing to maintain my peace of mind in the hopes that it could help you to any degree.
I’m going to call this five-part peace of mind strategy the “Wellbeing Voltron.”
1) Take Care of Yourself
When I start feeling a lot of anxiety I’ve been known to stay up too late catching up on work, stress eat boxes of girl scout cookies, and justify that I don’t have time for a run, or a trip to the gym.
You need to get adequate rest, eat healthy, and exercise. All of these things boost your immune system, but are even better for your mental state.
2) Batch Process the News
Yesterday I could not pull myself away from the firehose of information that was coming in through Social Media, Emails, and News Outlets. It was the least productive day I've had in a long time. At the end of the day my wife and I sat down with our kids to tell them that church has been cancelled, that we are on notice about their school being cancelled, and what to expect in the coming months as we adjust to life at home.
I realized that they got all the pertinent information they needed at one time, and had enjoyed their day instead of getting it in pieces, stressing over each one as new developments streamed in.
I decided that moving forward I'll do a morning check, a mid-day check, and an evening check. Allowing me to focus on work, family, and other responsibilities in between while still staying informed.
3) Be Prepared and Take Action
I'm hoping things stay relatively normal in the coming weeks and months, but if grocery shopping becomes dangerous or even restricted, it's best to have a supply of non perishable food on hand. My wife and I always keep a few months of food stocked up because my income as an independent artist is never consistent. Some months we are flush with cash and other months we are waiting for checks to come in. The past couple weeks we've boosted this supply just in case.
If you're wondering what you should have on hand, the things we store are oats, rice, beans, pasta, water, canned milk, canned tuna, and brownie mix. We have SO MUCH brownie mix.
4) Check In on Nieghbors, Friends, and Family
Now would be a good time to check in on those close to you. I spent a portion of my day yesterday texting a emailing neighbors and loved ones to see if they were taking care of themselves and if they needed any help. We are all in this together and while you should limit your exposure to others, if you are in a position to help someone in need, you should do what you can.
Even if there's nothing you can do, or nothing they need, checking in on them sends a message that they are loved and worth being worried about. And that goes a long way.
5) Keep Creating
And forming the head of the “Wellbeing Voltron” is creativity.
While it is difficult to focus on anything else right now, the world still needs, maybe more than ever, the pressure release valve that creativity offers. When you create, whether it be drawing, writing, singing, making, or crafting you're focused on putting something into the world instead of absorbing what the world is putting out. You have zero control over what the world puts out, but when you make something you take ownership of that tiny part of the world. You make your place in the world by making a part of it.
Author and screenwriter Steven Pressfield says:
"Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of the actor. It's a gift to the world and every being on it. Don't cheat us of your contribution. Give us what you've got."
So yeah, it seems trite to share something like your Star Wars fan art in light of world events right now, but that might just be what someone needs to read at that time to take the edge off. And sometimes the person that needs it most, is you.
I'm going to keep moving forward with YouTube videos about making art and sharing my drawings of space skeletons. Because even if the world doesn't need it, I need it.
Ok, go form your Voltron and take care.
Jake
P.S. It's probably the worst week in the last decade to launch a Kickstarter, yet somehow my new Art Book still funded. If you were one of the people who backed it, I just wanted to say thank you for putting your faith in this project, and in the future.