How to Turn the Coronavirus Upside Down!

*This is an opinion based article that doesn’t reflect the points of views of GrantNews or it’s employees. Please take proper and advised precautions when dealing with the coronavirus threat.*

There is a certain fear in the air that seems to be growing. Face masks and rubbing alcohol are being sold out wherever you go. On a personal level, this fear is starting to seep its way into everyone’s psyche. Just by seeing the related stories on the news or walking by the sold-out shelves of items that might protect you from this virus causes a certain fear to grow whether or not you are aware of it.

These fears will probably affect subconsciously your general mood if you don’t find a way how to deal with it. The response for fear has always been to build protection. The same way a firewall is built to protect people from internet viruses a human naturally develops a firewall to allow him to function and maintain his lifestyle. Many times, this personal firewall will present itself by limiting social interaction or going to public places.

The fact of the matter is that this firewall can only last for a short period. Many businesses who have been caught off guard are struggling to stay afloat, due to the public reaction to the virus. Airlines and other travel-related businesses may collapse if they can’t find a way to release this fear from the public. Many non-profits have seen a decrease in donations since people are afraid of the unknown.

Recently I was called into a meeting with one of these companies in the travel industry to help them calm the panic. In the discussion’s there were many opinions on how to deal with the problem. One sales manager demanded that the company be strong and not refund the customer’s money. The company cannot collapse over fears that have no medical proof. On the other hand, a different manager felt that the company should borrow money from the bank and return the people the money, in the long run, the integrity of the company will prove to be the defining moment and as a result, business will boom after this all blows over. In the end, everyone agreed that this would be the best way to go. However since the end is unknown, perhaps the loans will not be able to be paid back and can snowball the company into bankruptcy!

I knew that a solution can only come from out of the box thinking. The intensity of the meeting was straining my thoughts not allowing me to form any solutions. I asked the group for a fifteen-minute break and went for a walk. During my walk, I heard birds chirping. I felt the warmth of the sunlight on me. I breathed in the winter air and allowed my mind to go to emptiness. No more fears no more worries just me and my creator.

As I watched a mother walk by with her baby carriage, I realized that fears’ purpose is for people to introspect. Fear eventually expires even if the virus heaven forbid grows. So how can we take advantage of this fear and turn it upside down? The idea suddenly hit me like a bolt of lightning. We can cause a positive virus! We can fight the negative virus with a positive virus and hope it will go viral!

If we keep our staff our family, friends, customers, and donors busy with positive actions that create a safer, healthier and happier environment it will become the firewall to keep away the toxic fears. In this specific company, we can contact our guests and see how they are feeling. We can impress upon them the need to make sure that they are fully healthy so that we as a group will have a guaranteed safe and healthy environment! We can also mention to our guests that we have started the make a person smile campaign to combat the fears so each guest has to prepare a good joke to tell!

Organizations throughout the world that take this approach will have gained the trust of customers or donors. More importantly, instead of allowing infectious fear in the world to grow we will be improving the world with good deeds! You too can join and combat this virus by sharing this article and making good deeds go viral!