COVID19 arrived uninvited and has now affected all of us, irrespective of our geographical location. As of today, when I am writing this. around 3.85 million people are affected and more than 270k of them have left us. Who would have thought at the beginning of 2020 that a pandemic of this scale will drive all into fear?
Well, this is our harsh reality at the moment. Most of us are under lockdown and operating from our homes. With no cure at the moment, it is the best bet for saving ourselves and our loved one safe. Locked down and working from the confines of our home may not be always a pleasant experience. Here, in India, I have been working from home from March 15th, 2020, and while our official duties are being attended to, one question lingers around in my mind – What lies ahead?
One thing which this pandemic forced upon all of us is to act with more empathy towards self and others. I have been talking to lots of my friends and colleagues for quick check-ins. And, even on social media platforms, we are all checking on each other like never before. I remember when people used to say “thank you” when you check up on them or their loved ones earlier. I have always found that weird.
So as I mentioned in my last article, empathy is key for all of us, if we have to survive this pandemic. We have to be empathetic towards every individual (and animals) we may come across. Empathy will help us to be there for each other whenever the need may come. And as the most commonly used hashtag goes, #wearestrongertogether is the truth.
Here are some of the phrases I am using in abundance these days and I highly recommend to everyone. These phrases possess the power of making someone’s day better and give them strength as well. So let’s jump in.
How Are You Doing?
One of my favorite gifs that I use these days is the “How you doin” one which is the catchphrase used by Joey from the Friends. I use that abundantly and have observed that it brings an instant smile on anyone’s face who sees that.
Use the phrase “How are you doing” with anyone you come across – be it personal or professional front. When you use this phase, people feel comforted, and trust me, we all can use some of that these days. This phrase helps people to open up and share things openly if they are going through some tough times. So I highly recommend this one.
God Bless You
I end most of my conversations with this phrase here (force of habit). When you use this phrase, it doesn’t have to mean any particular god or goddess, but a higher power in general. This is the best phrase to use abundantly at the end of every conversation. This phrase works well with text or WhatsApp messages too.
What this phrase does is it gives everyone you interact with an assurance that some higher power is watching out for them. Trust me, some of my atheist friends also like this phrase. So, finish all your conversations with a “god bless you” phrase. We all can use some blessings during these tough times.
Can I Help You With Anything?
Let me ask you one thing – Who doesn’t need some help these days? Well, we all need help in some form or another. Be it our professional or personal arenas, we all need support during these difficult times. So this phrase conveys the message that we are there for one another. You can use this phrase in surplus at home or with anyone.
The beauty of using this phrase is that you will be surprised by the responses you get. This encourages people to open up to you and share some of the challenges they are facing. And well, this allows you to be there for them and be empathetic.
Is Everything Ok?
This is one of the most powerful phrases you can use with people whom you are interacting with. This phrase encourages people to share whatever they are going through and sharing that will help them feel much lighter. I believe, if all of us start using this phrase abundantly, the mental health challenges afflicting the modern society can be reduced to an extent.
Whenever you feel that something isn’t right with someone, pop up this phrase immediately. Let people open up with their issues and be all ears to them. Sometimes, all we need is just a pair of attentive ears. Isn’t it?
How Are You Feeling?
Another phrase which we all should use in excess these days is how people are feeling. We, humans, are very secretive and we do not like our feelings with others. Being vulnerable is not one of our strong fortes and as one of my favorite authors, Brene Brown says “Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen”.
This phrase will help people open up and that allows you to help them get through the same. Use this with your friends, family members, and colleagues and let them know that you are there for them, in case they need you.
How Is Your Health?
Health is the biggest asset for all of us, even though most of us would have taken it for granted until recently. We are all trying different things and going through different scenarios just to keep our healthy and sound. So this phrase can be a standard one to use in every interaction of yours. You should use this to check on people’s health and to understand if they are facing any challenges.
During times like pandemic, a phrase like this reassures your compassion for individuals in your life. And my recommendation for you with this phrase is “do not restrict it to your personal space; extend it to your professional network as well”.
Stay Safe
I never thought I will use this phrase as a part of every communication I send across ever in my life. But given the current scenario, this phrase is part of every communication – be it emails, text messages, calls, and even WhatsApp messages. This phrase can be a reminder to everyone that you do care and also they need to take good care of themselves.
Use this in all your communications and serve this as a reminder to everyone that times are tough. We need to remind each other that we are together in this and we will get over this as a unit.
Final Thoughts
So these are the phrases we all need to adopt as a part of our communication and interaction with our fellow beings. I want all of you to stay safe and follow the instructions from the authorities until all this craziness goes away. Love you all. Stay Safe.