Coronavirus: how to keep you and your family calm

Follow these four tips to help ensure calmness in the family during the coronavirus outbreak.

Health is the most important thing in anyone’s life, so with an ever-changing situation with the coronavirus it is easy to worry about the unknown.

Once you begin overthinking a problem you begin to actually hypnotise yourself negatively, then it becomes self-perpetuating which exasperates your anxiety.

Here are four ways to help you and your family to stay calm during such a unique period in time.

1. Take control of your thoughts

Visualise a red triangle in your mind, imagine putting your problems, health worries, anxiety and even the Coronavirus into the shape, then shrink it down in your mind.

By reducing the image in your mind you will break the habit of worrying.

2. Write a plan of how you can minimise viral exposure

For example, avoid heavily crowded places, avoid mixing with people from affected areas, wash hands regularly.

By writing a list this will help you to feel more in control of the situation and it will also give you a clear plan in your mind so you action sensible routines.

3. Visualise yourself fit and healthy

By seeing a positive image of yourself in your mind it will stop you from worrying. What we see in our minds we become, so you are more likely to behave in a way that will keep you safe.

4. Money worries

One of the biggest challenges for people is that if they have to self- isolate this will mean that they can’t go to work. Many people don’t receive sick pay or are self-employed so won’t earn if they don’t work which can leave people financially exposed.

Think of three things to help your finances by taking control of your spending or increasing income.

By getting into a mindset of boosting your finances you will be better off now and once the Coronavirus passes. If you are financially vulnerable use this time to make a pact with yourself to find a way to become financially secure in the future.

Ailsa Frank is a hypnotherapist, author and motivational speaker. For more info visit ailsafrank.com.