Everywhere you turn these days, you run into “the virus.” It follows you and you can’t escape it. How do we stay positive and not get stressed or depressed? That’s the question for all of us. We’re all worried about getting sick, about the economy and what the future holds. My solution is to try not to play into it as best as possible.
A year ago this month, Scott and I took an amazing trip through the Leeward Islands aboard the Star Flyer with our close friends Ben and Maria. It was on that trip that we decided to book a bare boat charter and visit the British Virgin Islands. None of us had ever done such a trip, nor visited the Virgin Islands. To say we’ve been planning this trip for a year, is an understatement. But it’s very possible, for health and safety reasons, it might be cancelled.
When the four of us met last month to talk about the trip, we had no idea what lie ahead for us. I was busy training for the Big Climb, Maria was learning to pack so she can carry on and we were trying to figure out how to provision our groceries. How ironic that we can’t even find toilet paper, hand sanitizer or paper towels here in Seattle right now.
I remember hearing about some guy coming from China who might have the Covid-19 virus a few weeks ago – but I didn’t think too much about it. That was, until the news broke that the virus was killing people here in our own backyard. Scott and I are not the type to panic or freak out. We understand the severity of the situation and seeing how fast it spreads, it makes sense to shut things down.
Feeling hopeful
All we can do is stay positive amidst this chaos and look for the light at the end of the tunnel. I do believe that our trip will happen and it will be epic. It’s unproductive to worry about what we can’t control; we can only do our best to stay healthy and follow the CDC protocol. It can be difficult to not worry every day, when all you see on the news, social media, in your in-box, television, etc. is “Coronavirus UPDATE”.
The Moorings has kept us updated regularly and so far, the trip is still on. I’m a believer that everything happens for a reason, so if it gets postponed, then it was to keep us safe. The question still remains, “how do you stay positive and not let this virus news get you down?” I will admit, it’s difficult and some days it’s hard to shake it. Then I go back and reminisce about past Caribbean trips and I feel better! Scott and I live for trips like this and we’d move to the Caribbean in a heart beat if we could!
Positive Vibes
I’ve always loved the term “positive vibes” and it has more power than you realize. It actually means the feeling that someone or something gives you. So, positive vibes means the positive feelings that you get from someone or something. A person should be always concerned about the positive vibes of something , while the negative side gives you nothing in return (per quora.com).
Imagining the four of us on our catamaran, in turquoise blue waters, cocktail in hand and Caribbean music playing makes my worries disappear. So I keep envisioning this as often as I can. It’s one of the ways I stay positive these days.
Don’t get caught up in the media
That’s my motto today and one of the reasons I decided to write this blog. We’ve all been inundated with emails from every company talking about the virus. I really am not worried about catching it from Wayfair, so I’m not sure the reason for sending me three emails this week? LOL! Instead, what did resonate with me, was a beautiful email I received from Star Clippers yesterday. As a professional marketer, they are doing things right. Looking at this inspiring email, makes me want to explore the world, not sit in fear.
What are you doing to stay inspired and not feel depressed about the world today? We’d love to hear from you!
If you look back on history, we’ve tackled other serious medical situations (Zirka, SARS, H1 N1) and we came out okay. Yes, this one is much worse. But with all of the precautions in place, I feel comfortable that this will soon pass. I keep envisioning the four of us cruising the beautiful blue waters around Tortola soon!
In the meantime, stay positive and share your inspirations with others. You never know how many people you can lift up by doing so!
As always, thank you for following us! Be sure to follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram @BoatingJourney, so you can see our stories and get current updates on our progress. Also, check out our YouTube channel at @BoatingJourney and subscribe for future episodes. Cheers, Ally & Scott
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