Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1231077
As new information about COVID-19 emerges, we are swimming through an accelerated climate of fight-or-flight and crisis consciousness. A lot has changed in just a few weeks and even days. We see a hoarding and scarcity mind-set driving the rush to fight, to find, and to stock up on essentials like toilet paper. Juxtaposed by the health imperative for extreme, never-seen-before social distancing, millions like us who are in the service industry suddenly find ourselves without work or a means to pay for said stockpile of essentials. Worry, nervousness, and fear are common companions regarding finances, at-risk family members, rising death tolls, and the not-knowing when—and if—things will ever go back to "normal." Though normalcy has been morphing for some time, longstanding structures like social connecting, political civility, and the tradition of strenuous fact-checking of news outlets points to a new- norm trajectory. In this historic period of crumbling structures, we also feel the burgeoning opportunity to reimagine and re- contextualize the recent state of events in ways that lead to new and supportive structures emphasizing safety and connection. Entertaining a new lens of possibility helps us grow into a brand-new vision of what could be, and we invite you to dream big and practice along with us. With reimagination in mind, we are recommitting to our personal health and well-being through simple, easy, and, yes, fun self-care techniques. In this way, we not only invest in enhancing our own wellness but also create the requisite momentum we will need to rely on when it is time again to press the flesh. We are reframing this unusual time through the lens of what we call "Healing through COVID-19," using calmness, openness, vigilance, intelligence, and dedication. Following are practical strategies for enhancing community safety and connection. We beseech you to be the change you wish to see in the world by practicing intentional acts of kindness—toward yourself and others. F o r t h e l a t e s t i n f o r m a t i o n v i s i t w w w. a b m p . c o m / c o v i d - u p d a t e s . 27