Keep Calm and Chillax!

It’s pretty hard to keep chill and relax in the face of the news in the past few weeks, but if you are feeling stressed, we have a few suggestions to think about as we wait for the Covid-19 virus to pass us by.

First though, we wanted to share our regret at having to cancel all our upcoming events in the month of March. As you know, Canada’s Health Agencies recommend that gatherings be postponed and that we practice social distancing – keeping a few feet away from others -for the next couple of weeks during the Covid-19 crisis. At the end of March, we hope to reevaluate the situation and start the spring off with a bunch of great events. We’ll keep you posted as to the status of upcoming events and please feel free to contact us at widowedfriendsltd@gmail.com if you have any questions.

If you are feeling stressed by the whole situation, here are some tips for finding a calming perspective:

• Remember, you are not alone!  We are all in this situation together and it is up to all of us to defeat the virus’ ability to spread. We will be inconvenienced and be at home more than we might wish, but everyone else will be doing the same thing and we know that like all the others before it, this crisis will pass!
• Turn off the tv and social media!  If you find yourself glued to the tv or reading multiple accounts about the virus situation online, remind yourself to turn it off and focus on something else. Most of the time, the more we read or hear about ongoing stressful events the more distressed we become.
• Check in on others. Do you have an elderly relative or neighbour that might need support?  This is a great time to let them know that they are not alone and you are there to listen and support.  An act of kindness to others can make your day and often crises bring out the most generous and helpful spirits.
• Develop a plan! In these situations where so much is happening so quickly, you can take back some control by having an action plan to move forward.  Establish a daily routine or some goals that you could accomplish around the home, start planning your garden for spring or just enjoy the peace and solitude!  Keep busy and active!
• Find the humour!  In the darkest days it is always good to have a laugh.  If you are looking for some humour check out the comedy listings on your tv streaming services and focus on the funny!
• Sleep well, eat well and get some exercise!  Keeping regular, healthy habits helps you manage your stress levels!

Above all, we wish everyone a safe and healthy couple of weeks.  We’ve planned great spring and summer events, so as soon as we can we’ll let you know when we are restarting.  Although we must distance ourselves from each other today, soon we will all be back together!