Advice From Dr. Shefali On Dealing With The Pandemic Mentally

There is a lot of advice on how to protect yourself physically from COVID-19. We need to wash our hands, practice social distancing, wear a mask when we can’t practice social distancing, practice good hygiene, self-isolate if we are sick, and, of course, stay away from people who are sick. We have a good idea about how to best protect ourselves physically. But, what about our minds? What about the stress and fear and anxiety that we are feeling as COVID-19 statistics change on a daily basis and shift the way we live our lives? How do we deal with that? Dr. Shefali has some advice. I want to talk about two recent talks I listened to by Dr. Shefali and what I pulled out of each of them. I think you will benefit from her thoughts and advice.

Interview With Dr. Shefali On Helping Parents Navigate Life Chances Due To Coronavirus

Dr. Shefali is all about accepting what is. I’ve taken her parenting course on Mindvalley even though I have no kids, and I mentioned that her course was the best course I’ve ever taken on becoming more conscious in life.

As our current way of life changes as COVID-19 spreads, I’ve found it really valuable to come to a place of awareness and acceptance and then decide what to do going forward from that space. That’s why people like Dr. Shefali are so important. They help us come to that place and move forward from it.

I highly recommend listening to this short video by Dr. Shefali on how to mentally navigate the changes that are happening on a daily basis as the new Coronavirus spreads. If you don’t have time, you can read a summary of my favorite points by Dr. Shefali below the video.

A Few Of My Favorite Dr. Shefali Thoughts

• • We have no choice but to deal with what’s happening with the Coronavirus. That’s just reality.
  • Accepting the changes that come with the spread of COVID-19 is a process. We need to get out of denial, accept the invitation to elevate our consciousness around what is the nature of life, and then decide to stop fighting what is happening.
  • When you have the right attitude towards life, things are much easier compared to when you are just reacting to life.
  • Determine whether or not you want to react to the news. Even better, turn off the constant stream of news and focus on taking action to protect yourself and your loved ones from the virus.
  • We need to live with caution and discernment, but not fear. This is how we live our lives when it comes to many other things (driving cars or getting an illness), and we need to apply this to COVID-19 as well.
  • Don’t just react the way everyone else reacts. You can make a choice about how you are going to respond in the present moment.
  • To stay grounded and out of fear and anxiety, be present. Ask what is in your now and focus on that.
  • COVID-19 is a wake-up call to the fact that we always live in uncertainty.
  • Social media and news are forcing us to stay up to date with every single case and it is all designed to alarm us. It is not meant for calm, so why go towards that?
  • View this as a test to see if you can live in flow and abundance even though there appears to be a threat. (This is an awesome insight for me! It’s a test for all my personal growth over the years and a way to practice many of the things I’ve learned, especially through Mindvalley’s amazing teachers.)
  • A sense of community can rise from the virus where we offer more support in many different ways.

Dr. Shefali Spoke During Mindvalley University

Mindvalley University 2020 is online this year.  A lot of focus is on staying healthy and happy during the pandemic, and we got to hear from Dr. Shefali on the topic of ‘COVID-19 As The Best Teacher’.

To say that Dr. Shefali was a big hit with the students is an understatement. She did a great talk. I can’t share the video because that is only available to people who are attending Mindvalley University, but I want to talk about some of my favorite points from Dr. Shefali.

1. We Are Currently In The Tunnel

Dr. Shefali says that there was the old way of doing things and now we are in a tunnel on our way to something new. The tunnel is dark by nature and it contains a lot of unknown, unfamiliar, and unpredictable things in it. In order for us to come out on the other side of the tunnel, she says that we need to re-examine what has not worked in our lives, start imaging a new vision for ourselves, and then start walking towards it.

Lifebook is great for that, by the way. And I’ve noticed that a lot of teachers at Mindvalley University are talking about Lifebook and how important it is during this time.

If you feel like you want to cling to the old ways, Dr. Shefali says that the old ways were dysfunctional and toxic. They are what led us to where we are, and we need to find new ways of being that contribute to a society and life that is healthier and better all around.

Dr. Shefali says that we cannot have a transformation if we stick to the old.

2. This Is A Rock Bottom Moment

Dr. Shefali says that this is a rock bottom moment. I think we all feel and know that. This is a tough time for everyone.

She says that for the first time, we ALL have no choice but to adapt. Even the rich who are used to getting their way do not have the freedom that they once had. We are all being told ‘no’ more often than we are used to, and for some of us, that has caused a lot of resistance.

Reflecting on this, I think that’s why we are seeing so many hateful and distributing videos pop up. Entitled people are pissed that they can’t do what they want when they want to do it, and it’s causing them to resist in a dramatic way.

Dr. Shefali also says that we are being asked to tolerate big issues and feelings, and we are being asked to tolerate it with other people who can’t tolerate it. It’s a recipe for stress and struggle.

Dr. Shefali says that everything happening was always there under the surface, but now it’s bubbling up because of this rock bottom moment.

3. We Are No Better Than Any Other Animal

Dr. Shefali says that we are no better than any other animal or being out there. Even though we think we are so important, we are currently at the mercy of something we can’t see, and it’s a huge eye-opener for a lot of people.

4. This Pandemic Is Like A Detox

The other reason this feels so hard is that this pandemic is like a detox. Many of our addictions have been canceled or thwarted in some way because we can’t do what we were used to doing. Dr. Shefali says that we’ve only been doing this a few months and people already cannot tolerate it. We want to go back to where we were – doing whatever it was we did.

A detox takes time to get through. Dr. Shefali says we need to lean into the moment because the journey is going to take a minimum of a year or two to get through.

Dr. Shefali says that the entire world has a fixed mindset and inability to adapt. We are by nature attached to our ways of doing things.

To get through it, we need to focus on the present moment. We need to engage in moment by moment living.

To do this, Dr. Shefali says to change ‘Now what?’ to ‘What is in my now?’

Dr. Shefali is such a great teacher on being conscious and in the moment. I hope that she is able to teach a class on living in the moment through Mindvalley in the future.

5. How We Can Benefit Most From The Pandemic

Someone asked Dr. Shefali this question and this is what I wrote down for her answer.

Use this opportunity to create the separation from the inauthentic parts of your life and authentic parts of your life. Make an inventory and look at all the areas of your life where you’ve been lying to yourself and where you know you’ve been faking it. Then begin to confront that with a course or coach or something. Blame the pandemic for why you are not doing what you normally do and use it as an excuse to dig deep into your life and figure out how to keep progressing through the tunnel towards something better.

Again, I highly recommend Lifebook for this. It will help you look at what you want, the reasons for why you want it, and then start the journey towards what you want. You can read my Lifebook review here to learn more about it.

6. Dr. Shefali Says It’s Time To Pass A New Baton

Dr. Shefali says that the old order is coming to an end and the new is beginning. I think most of us can tell that this is happening.

My mom told me that she hates the term ‘the new normal’. I realized that this is because she doesn’t want the change to happen. She doesn’t want new ways of being to happen. She wants to keep things the same and live in a traditional way.

But the traditional way changes from time to time, and we are at a point where it needs to change again. It’s kind of exciting if you think of it. This could be a time looked back upon as when major change happened for the betterment of the world.

As Dr. Shefali suggests, I’m going to try to live moment by moment going forward.

I highly recommend you follow Dr. Shefali. She is one of the most insightful people I’ve ever come across. You can check out her YouTube channel here. That’s where she seems to be the most active online. Dr. Shefali is also quite active on Instagram here and Facebook here.

If you have a favorite quote or lesson from Dr. Shefali, please share it in the comments below.