What is popular today will be in Goodwill bins and garage sales tomorrow. One thing you can always count on is that the public’s taste and desires continually change. Learning the changes in the shopping appetites of the public can give you insight into the types of products you need to keep your store on the path to profit. You can’t wait to find out what’s the hottest trend if your business’s bottom line depends on you having it available when the customers want it.

There are a number of ways to stay abreast of the public’s taste in products. One is to talk to customers on a daily basis. They’ll help you learn what’s hot and what’s not with their suggestions for products. However, in many cases, this technique provides the information a bit too late for your store to benefit from the sales. By the time you find a supplier, order and stock your shelves, your customers may already have filled their needs and moved on to the next big trend.

Conduct shopping expeditions at other popular stores. You might consider going to upscale stores to see what they’re carrying, then look for lower priced versions of the same products at your suppliers. Choose stores that cater to age groups similar to yours. You also should shop the discount stores as well, checking to see what’s on their deeply discounted sale racks to find what not to order. You’ll often see large eye catching displays for popular items in several stores, whether it’s a stuffed toy porcupine or hair feathers. These are often the best sellers.

Talk to your suppliers and wholesalers to find out what other stores are selling and what they frequently order a second or third time. If you have good wholesalers, they’ll steer you to items that fly off the shelves of other stores. Using an online wholesaler can be quite beneficial, particularly if you have a store in Middle America. Often the big trends don’t hit the Midwest until after it’s hit the coastal states. Also, if you own a store in a smaller town, use a retailer who works with stores in larger surrounding cities to get a bead on what’s hot in the big cities surrounding your area.

Knowing the latest trends can keep you in the black and help to insure a profit. You want to stay ahead of the public’s latest passion so you don’t have excess merchandise that eventually goes to the discount bin or takes up space until it’s too passé to bring in a profit.

Dant dant da da dant dant da da. Dant dant da da dant dant da da. (That’s the

theme from “Mission Impossible”…)FADE IN.

Your mission, should you chose to accept it is to create a fail-proof proclamation, a

road map, that not only serves ALL your business needs but also provides you an

endless source of fuel so you can thrive in your business. Beware of the well-

intentioned imposter called “the mission statement.” Should you choose to accept

this mission… this article will self-destruct in… you get the point.

If you’ve been is business in any sort of formal sense or have come out of a MBA or

business school, no doubt you have been told to “write a mission statement” to

assure that your business achieves the success that you want for it. So as any good

success-orientated business owners would do, you did as you were told and wrote

one; only to find yourself with a hard earned paragraph (or a page) that’s not giving

you the power you thought it would. Well no wonder, you sent the wrong agent to

do the right job.

The inherent problem with writing a business mission statement is that it’s an

external communication of what your business is about and what it could do. It’s

used to communicate your business’ mission to someone else. This power-zapping

situation has been created because you either:

a) you wrote it because someone told you that’s the way business is done,

b) OR more often than not you wrote it to prove to someone else that you deserve to

get something, usually money or some other assistance for your business. This type

of purpose is easily manipulated to paint a certain picture. Any picture you chose.

Some may teach that doing a mission statement is about communicating your

choice to others, therefore giving you the ‘illusion’ of power. Where’s the power in

the ‘illusion’? Certainly not in you, where it should be!

The mission statement communication point is focused externally on the receiver so

in essence you are giving the receiver the power of your communication. That’s

marketing! Which is all said and good if and only if your internal communication, to

yourself and your team, is built and is solid. If it’s not, creating a mission statement

only is like throwing a huge party in your penthouse when you haven’t even laid in

the concrete foundation of the building.

Don’t worry. It’s an easy fix. It’s as simple as calling that ‘mission statement agent’

back in, saving it for the right job, and training a new agent for the job.

The first and the most important part of developing any business with a big

business vision (a brand) is developing a solid, and I mean bullet-proof, brand

statement — which is your business’ internal reason to be.

in_ter_nal adj

1. located within or affecting the inside of something,

2. involving or existing within the mind or spirit

rea_son n

1. an explanation or justification for something

2. a motive or cause for acting or thinking in a particular way

3. a cause that explains a particular phenomenon

Your brand statement must be concise & clear, anchored in your passion & to your

vision of what you are bringing to the world. It is so completely anchored internally

that it actually becomes the ruler by which you measure every business decision.

(Important distinction to note is that your brand statement is an internal

communication and is not for public use.)

Without your business’ core internal brand statement firmly in place, every time you

communicate your well-intentioned mission statement, verbally or in-print, you will

essentially be giving your power away. No amount of re-phrasing or creating catchy

30-second elevator speech or “round-robins” will change that.

Makes sense doesn’t it? Without really knowing your business’ brand statement,

even shouting your mission statement off Mount Everest will still feel… empty.

I receive dozens of e-mails every day from people who’ve personal and business

lives have changed by working solely on this amazing statement.

So, you can begin today. Focus on your brand statement before of wondering why

your mission statement is serving you. You will be astonished at the power, clarity

and financial success it will bring you.

You and your business will experience the phenomenon known as financial success

when your “internal” house is in order and it provides the foundation for ALL your

external communication.

Good luck on your new mission!

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most commonly diagnosed disabling condition of the upper extremities (your arms). CTS can very dramatically decrease your quality of life, interfering with sleep, productivity at work, focus, and takes the enjoyment out of leisure activities. This condition has such a chronic nature it can have a negative impact on your mood as well. People with CTS suffer from chronic numbness and/or tingling in the hands, loss of grip strength and dexterity, discomfort in the forearms, difficulty finding a comfortable sleeping position due to numbness and tingling, and they often have head and neck complaints.

“True” carpal tunnel syndrome is defined as compression of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel. The carpal tunnel is your wrist. The bones of the wrist and the flexor retinaculum create the walls of this tunnel. Within that you have 10 tendons, synovial sheaths, and the median nerve. Chronic compression of the median nerve is what creates carpal tunnel syndrome. Nerves are responsible for sensations such as pain, light touch, vibration and proprioception. They need good circulation. In this way, they are just like blood vessels; if you compress them, blood cannot circulate. Your limb falls asleep and turns blue. If you compress a nerve, it has a really hard time transmitting neurological information. This can result in pain, numbness, weakness, tingling, etc. In order to restore neurological flow, the compression has to be removed.

Since we are talking about carpal tunnel syndrome, it should be obvious: the compression is happening at the wrist. Yes, this is usually a part of the compression, but most times the compression is not solely coming from the wrist. You can have compression from several places along the neck and arm all creating and compounding the compression. You can also have inflammation of the tissues that creates the actual compression within the wrist.

More often than not, people with carpal tunnel type symptoms are not just having compression of the median nerve. There are 5 main nerves that stem from the brachial plexus; (1) Axillary, (2) Musculocutaneous, (3) Median, (4) Ulnar, and (5) Radial. These nerves start in the neck, branch through your arms and some continue to the fingers.

The median nerve is the only nerve that passes through the carpal tunnel, but the other four nerves can also contribute to these types of symptoms in the shoulder and arm. Technically, this diagnosis becomes nerve entrapment and not just carpal tunnel. With true carpal tunnel the symptoms involve the tips of the first three and half fingers as, well as the corresponding palmar side of the hand. You can see the nerve sensory distributions in the picture below.

According to American Family Physician the most common cause of carpal tunnel syndrome is repetitive maneuvers. This includes fine motor activities like typing, handy work (hammering, use of screw drivers), etc.

Self-care and Prevention:

If you work one of these jobs, some practices to help prevent nerve entrapment syndromes are as follows:

Self-massage. We recommend using a medium to hard ball, tennis or lacrosse ball, to massage the muscles of your hands, arms and shoulders.

Regular stretching of the forearms and shoulders.

Exercises to counteract a forward rolled posture. Meaning, strengthening of your back musculature and core. If you don’t know where to start in the gym, we highly recommend find a physical therapist or personal trainer to help show you some great exercises.

Treatment options:

As with any inflammatory process, we have to remove the irritant. With any sort of repetitive injury, rest is indicated in the acute phases. This may even require time off from work. If rest is not possible, Rocktape or Kinesiotape can help with circulation, neuro-muscular retraining and pain. Braces can also be helpful at work to help keep your wrist in a better ergonomic position. Supplementation with strong anti-inflammatory compounds like turmeric help to dampen inflammation internally and act as an analgesic. However, neither of these options are a cure.

Over time, with repetitive type injuries and inflammation you start to develop fibrosis in the tissues that creates friction. To restore the tissues back to health, they need treatment in conjunction with self-care. In our office we often use Chiropractic manipulation, dry needling, Graston or Gua Sha, myofascial release, cupping, and postural retraining exercises. All of these therapies help to restore the tissues and fascia and remove the friction through the different phases of healing. Deep tissue massage, Rolfing and the like are other great therapies to restore your tissues.

In cases where acute trauma was involved, like fracture of the wrist that changed the bony structure, or arthritic bony changes like osteophyte formation, conservative treatment may not be able to do the trick. In these cases surgery might be the best option. Regardless, it is still a good idea to give conservative therapy a shot. Chances are it can greatly improve your symptoms.

Typically, groundwater from different sources like streams, rivers or lakes tends to contain unhealthy germs known as pathogens. They can cause water-borne infections that can spread fast when human or animal feces infected with these pathogens get mixed with drinking water. Some common types of these pathogens include parasites, viruses or bacteria, to name a few. Let’s find out more.

Basically, water disinfection methods help kill or eliminate pathogens from the water you drink. It’s not difficult to disinfect drinking water. You can perform disinfection in many ways. For instance, you can use UV radiation, heat, filtration or a combo of these methods.

Usually, water suppliers ensure the safety of drinking water through different disinfection methods. You can also disinfect your drinking water to look for an alternate source like bottled water.

This can be the only choice for you if you can’t use or get water from a water supply unit in your area or the water you get is infected with E. Coli bacteria.

The Best way to Disinfect Water

If you are looking for the most effective way of cleansing your drinking water, you can try the boiling method, especially if your water contains parasites like Cryptosporidium or Guardia.

All you need to do is boil water for a minimum of 1 minute. The boiling time will be double if you are at an elevation of 2,000 meters or more. After boiling, store the water in a food grade container and cover it up.

The use of Bleach

Generally, it’s fine to use household chlorine bleach for this purpose as it can help eliminate most types of pathogens. However, you should stay away from scented bleaches.

Typically, bleach gives better results if mixed with lukewarm water. Just 2 drops of bleach can be more than enough for 4 cups of warm water.

Cover the container and wait for half an hour before you drink from it. You may experience a little bit of chlorine smell post 30 minutes, which his okay. Also, if the water looks cloudy, you can add two more drops of bleach.

If you don’t like the chlorine taste, you can keep the water container covered for a couple of hours. This will help eliminate the taste.

Heavily Contaminated or Polluted Water

If your water is heavily contaminated, adding bleach or boiling it won’t work. The reason is that these techniques can’t remove chemicals. In this case, you should go for a different source.

Cloudy or Murky Water

Usually, water gets murky or cloudy when it contains dust or sand. To reduce cloudiness, you can pour the water through coffee filter or a clean piece of rag. Allow the bits to sit at the bottom of the container, and then pour the clear water into another container before you consume it.

The use of Iodine

You can do so for a short period of time. However, there are some health concerns linked with the use of iodine over a long period of time. If you have kids and pregnant women in your house, we don’t suggest that you use iodine for this purpose.

In short, these are a few common methods that you can use to disinfect drinking water in a safe manner.

Various civil rights groups have given “profiling” a bad name, yet the practice of using demographic and other personal information ­­to categorize prospects and customers for marketing purposes is well entrenched. If you are planning to become a successful business with a competitive edge and loyal customers, maybe it’s time to think of this process as “relationship building” instead of “profiling.”

In an environment where identity theft, hijacked email addresses and websites, and even criminal mischief is lurking on the web, many people are reluctant to share too much information too fast. Yet some marketers insist on adding so many data fields to their opt-in forms that prospects feel like they are on a bad date. You know, the one that wants to go too fast, too soon.

In this era of social media, prospects and customers expect that marketers will build relationships with them. That means developing a good strategy for obtaining information in a manner that is neither intrusive nor uncomfortable. Ask these 3 questions to begin to develop your relationship strategy:

1. What is the principal type of communication that will be used to communicate with the prospect or customer?

If you are using email autoresponders, you will need to get an email address, which is usually obtained in exchange for something that you offer. The more targeted this offer is to what your prospects and customers want, the more likely it is that you will receive an email address from them.

Some businesses may find that using Twitter will be more effective for the type of strategic communication that is planned. In fact, since it is more social, it may be easier to obtain a Twitter address, or “handle,” first. Or maybe a Facebook profile address is the best information to obtain. Whatever the choice, it should be a decision based on your marketing strategy.

2. How much information do I need to collect right now in order to communicate with the prospect or customer?

Unless you are planning to physically ship or send something to your prospect or customer, asking for their mailing address may be considered intrusive. Any time you request information your customer or prospect thinks is irrelevant to the current conversation or relationship, it can trigger alarms that make them wary and less trusting of the relationship you are trying to build.

Start with just a single point of contact. To become a successful business with a competitive edge that leads your competition, don’t make it seem like you are a one-night stand – all now, nothing later. It is also a good idea to explain how you will be using the information you are requesting.

3. What is your strategy to build your information profile as you build the relationship with the prospect or customer?

With a long-term strategy in place, it is fairly easy to include your information requests in your communications with your prospects and customers. You can begin by asking for regular, non-threatening feedback, so that when you slip in a request for information that may be more personal, it may not seem out of place.

If you are using an email autoresponder series, you can build this strategy into your programmed communications. If you are using other channels, you can still strategically build your communications to get more information from your customers as you build a relationship with them.

Being a sufferer I can explain what an autoimmune disease feels like and how I manage it daily. There is no known cure for this type of debilitating disease. It can often begin with chronic fatigue syndrome. Although it’s not considered to be life threatening, there are many side effects that an auto immune disease can trigger such as mental health issues through being forced to endure severe persistent body pain almost on a daily basis. It can debilitate the sufferer so much that they may become bedridden. There are many forms of auto immune disorders which often affect more women than men. It is thought to be caused through stress and hormone imbalances. Scientific studies have proven that due to the fluctuations of hormone levels in women this can trigger an autoimmune disease causing a breakdown in certain parts of their immune system. Research is now being conducted at universities worldwide on the causes and effect of autoimmune diseases.

Seven years ago I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I tried to seek help from many doctors and specialists until I had run the gauntlet with no success. I was told everything from having an insufficient diet to lack of water in my system and my lifestyle was contributing to my symptoms etc.

I was not okay. Finally I was at the end of my rope, and went along to a fibromyalgia group. I was amazed to see so many other people who suffered this condition. I was given contact details of a doctor who suffered from fibromyalgia himself. I made the appointment to consult with him.

Finally I had found a doctor who understood this disease. My next step was realizing that I had physical limitations therefore I needed to be sure exactly what they were in order for me to be able to manage my life. Fibromyalgia is an invisible disease. This means that those suffering from it look physically healthy on the outside which makes others appear to think the sufferer is trying to gain sympathy and attention. This could not be further from the truth.

This adds MORE stress to those who suffer this chronic and debilitating condition. People often say things such as “get out more, stop feeling sorry for yourself, there are people worse off than you are, you look okay to me.” These are the types of hurtful remarks people with invisible diseases are subjected to often from those around them.

I spent a two year period involved closely with a research team at Bond University in Australia as they worked closely with professors and scientists from the United States in order to find out what causes autoimmune diseases in people. This was an interesting journey. Stress is believed to play a huge part in the cause of these types of diseases. Hormones are affected by high stress levels in women. We are now seeing “invisible diseases” being taken more seriously by the medical profession in last two years which has been a remarkable breakthrough for suffers

If you feel you may be suffering from an autoimmune disease speak to a health professional. There are tests available to determine if you are definitely a suffer, and what type of autoimmune disease you may be suffering from. Symptoms of fibromyalgia are… chronic fatigue, never feeling fresh and energetic no matter how much sleep you get. Memory fog – trouble in remembering small tasks. A deep persistent body ache. Depression and feelings of just not giving a dam. Overwhelm is another common symptom. When I feel this coming on I simply stop what I’m doing and put it aside and either rest or mediate. Sometimes all we can do is just breathe and let the world go by and that’s just fine. There is always tomorrow.

I urge you to seek medical assistance if you have any of these symptoms I have mentioned above. There is no cure for fibromyalgia, but you can manage it by getting lots of rest. A good balanced diet, and meditation is great for this type of condition. Try and cut as much stress out of your life as possible. Never feel guilty about putting your own needs first as you have every reason to.

These days people love to find some of the best supplements for themselves, and it is important to not only help in having better nutritional addition to the diet but also for better health and growth. Though a balanced diet is something that can satisfy every nutritional requirement of the body, at times food may not be enough. For this, one may need something extra like dietary supplements. One such popular supplements that many opt for are branched-chain amino acids.

What are branched-chain amino acids?

Branched-chain amino acids or BCAAs are chain structures of some amino acids. They are usually found in food and can be taken in the form of supplements as well. Branched-chain amino acids are crucial for one’s body because this is what is burned to produce energy. Amino acids valine, isoleucine and leucine is formed into a chain-like structure and that is why it is named as BCAA. Today you can find several BCAA supplements in the markets that will help in fulfilling the amino acid need in the body.

Natural sources of BCAA

Many think that supplements are the only way to get the branched-chain amino acids, but that is not the case. Several natural foods are rich sources of branched-chain amino acids like:

• Lentils
• Chicken/eggs/fish
• Soy proteins and whey
• Milk
• Chickpeas
• Pumpkin seeds
• Whole wheat
• Almonds
• Cashews
• Brown rice

When BCCA is needed?

Most of the time the BCAA supplements are taken by the athletes and sportspersons who need to recover from rigorous workout sessions and games. They are not meant to enhance the performance, but instead helps make the muscles more adept to workout. As the muscles get tired and worn out during workouts, these supplements help in recovering from muscle fatigue and tiredness. There are certain times when the BCAA are also used as therapeutic options to treat brain disorders of some type, muscle wasting and loss of appetite.

BCAA is also effective in increasing the appetite in those who are malnourished or in cancer patients. Depending on what is the objective of taking BCAA, the dosages tend to change as well.

Benefits of BCCA

Some of the advantages of taking BCCA supplements are:

• Improved aerobic and anaerobic performance can be improved and thus is good for those who are speed athletes or sportspersons like cyclists.

• Daily consumption can reduce the fatigue of the muscles. Also, it can help in delaying the fatigue time if you are working out for a longer time, as the BCAA acts as a source of energy.

• BCCA supplements also help in making the immune system stronger and better. As continuous training at high velocity can lead to immune suppression, BCCA can help in keeping the immune cells in the gut functional.

• Lastly, the main reason why BCCA supplements are common for the weightlifters is their capability to synthesize muscle protein. The leucine that is found in BCAA is the main source for starting muscle protein synthesis.

In the last couple of weeks, everything has changed. The life you once knew has taken an unimaginable turn. All you do now is stay at home and watch news of the pandemic pouring in from every possible corner. Mostly depressing ones, and sometimes stories that tug at your heart apart from the ones that make you think and make you annoyed even.

As I watch days and weeks unfold very slowly during this period of lockdown, I have also come to realise that this pandemic has brought out the worst and the best of humanity.

I read with dismay, even in this time of pandemic when we have far greater things to worry about, and invest our energy in, racism took another leap. People from Northeast India suffered the brunt in many ways across different cities. They were called names, spat at, and assaulted in humiliating ways.

Closer home in Nagaland, not too long ago, a shop in the neighbourhood was robbed. Around the same time, there were news of pigs being stolen, and their caretakers beaten in more than one place.

Then I read with horror, stories of two doctors in two different places, who sacrificed the best of their lives looking after the sick, were denied a decent burial after they died of coronavirus. I can’t even begin to imagine the excruciating pain that their respective families would have gone through. As if grieving for the passing of a loved one isn’t painful enough. Added to that, was this most terrifying experience.

In just a matter of few weeks, there were just so many stories of pain- stories that will forever change our perspective about life and living itself.

And yet, I also think the best of humanity shone in many places. When house owners waived monthly rents of their tenants; when people shared their food with a fellow human being; when farmers in many villages who harvested the best of their vegetables freely shared with the urban dwellers; when people generously contributed money to help another patient undergo a much needed surgery; when groups, individuals and communities walked the extra mile to make the life of another person better and easier in ways more than one.

When people volunteered to run errands and get groceries for the elderly; when homes became churches and families prayed together; when a healthcare professional, a policeman, a bureaucrat, an officer, an essential commodity provider, a journalist, a delivery guy, a driver, all the people who needed to be out there even when as scared and afraid as you and me are, took the extra mile just to ensure that we would all be safe.

When artists- people who write poetry, sing, perform, draw, and everybody else in the creative field put in extra effort so that you could hear the music and indulge in some beautiful works of art even while you are home; when teachers taught online so you could carry on with your education; when many people played their roles, however small and insignificant, because we are all in this together.

I know there is evil that still exists in the midst of this global pandemic. But I thought the best of us far outshone it. In times like these, all we need is humanity. Together we will get through this.

Don’t panic. There are a few very simple things you can and should do.

You have a receptionist or guard watching the front door, an alarm system at night, anti-virus software protecting your computers and a firewall protecting your servers. It’s all good except for one thing. You just sent your staff to work from home. You can’t let your business information, including some data with compliance requirements that must be protected, become exposed to the internet.Don’t expose your business, your employees, or your customers to internet pirates and scammers or worse. If you have suddenly found yourself in this position, consider providing your employees with these basic tools to allow them to work from home securely.

We live in an age where the level of risk to our confidential information grows greater every day. The need to safeguard digital communications places a tremendous burden on a business and requires constant diligence to mitigate these ever-evolving risks. During a Black-Swan event like the spread of COVID-19, where you are forced to make a critical decision like sending your staff home with only a few days’ notice, it is critical that you do not let your guard down. The use of secure encrypted email application is the front line of risk avoidance for your business.

Email Encryption is a must

You need an application your entire team can use safely, easily, and affordably. You don’t have the time for extended training sessions or to find out who has what capability at home. You need a product that is easy to install, easy to use and highly flexible, including a compatible mobile app. If you will be sending secure emails to clients, suppliers or others outside of your business you will need an application that allows you to send an encrypted email to recipients to purchase the application in order to receive a secure email.

Check out Send_It_Secure by Protected Trust https://envoy.protectedtrust.com/ Their free trial is being extended to 30 days during this crisis with no further financial commitment necessary. Group rates are available if you decide to continue use in the future.

Team Communications

Communicating with your employee team in as easy and transparent a manner as possible helps keep your team focused and motivated, even when working remotely. There are several products on the market that provide texting and group chats, video conferencing, scheduling and conducting online team meetings, and file collaboration and sharing. To keep things as simple as possible for employees just becoming accustomed to working remotely, combining these capabilities on a single, easy to use application will eliminate a lot of headaches and get your team back to work quickly. The Microsoft Teams application is a good way to accomplish this. There are some upfront minimal fees but they are small if you are able to maintain your employee productivity.

Check out https://www.protectedtrust.com/ They specialize in setting up virtual teams.

Culture Change

Employees like working from home and see the ability to do so anytime as a benefit. No traffic, no gas, and work in your PJ’s if you want. Then they finish their first day working remote and add soon their list can change. No quiet office, no escape from the kids, no business lunches, loss of contact with their fellow employees and delays getting their job done because they can’t just walk down the hall to ask the boss a question. Let’s face it, people also have lots of reasons to like working from the office. Your employees may be in culture shock. Some can handle it and will see it as a benefit, and some will not.

Working with remote employees is also a culture change for managers. Can you run a business without the ability to see your employee’s fingers running across the keyboard? Many managers are “Old School” and have a greater problem with culture change than their employees. Much of the change is in the mindset of the manager. https://paulemcmahon.wordpress.com/2020/03/15/6-tips-in-10-minutes-for-successful-working-from-home/

I recommend a book titled “Virtual Project Management” by Paul McMahon. It was written for software managers but has broad application in any virtual environment. www.pemsystems.com

There are many reasons to believe that the days of working in tall office towers are over. What 9-11 didn’t accomplish, the 2020 Pandemic may. Of course, I recognize there are jobs that can’t be done remotely… but many of them can. The overhead cost to operate most offices, rent, electricity, cleaning, insurance all go away when you lock the doors and let your employees work from home. Lowering overhead costs is often a good tradeoff for perceived lack of control over your employees. Use the current situation to try remote working with your employee team. You may be pleasantly surprised.

A patient look towards the global economy in these times of Covid-19, and you will realize that the entire human race will have to go through a complete makeover. But yes, there are two options – you can either face with confidence or cow down in fear. After some weeks, you will have no option but to make one choice. In this article, you gain information on how to fulfil your duty as a human being in Corona Crisis.

Corona virus has showed the human race that it does not care for any caste, creed or any religion. To stay alive, you need to follow a set of rules put forward by the Government and medical agencies.

About Covid-19

Many a scientist feared a Third World War will wipe the entire human race off Mother Earth. The Covid-19 situation has shown a virus can bring more destruction to all parts of the world than a nuclear war or bomb. The entire scientist community were struggling to save the environment at all cost, and what did they get? A virus, which shook the entire human race and made it seem true similar attacks are also possible in the future. And at this juncture, only science and medicine have come forward to the rescue and not any stupid old faiths and practices.

Crisis Due To Corona Virus

First, a HONEST look at the Corona crisis that can go beyond your dreams.

In many parts of the globe, many families have lost their dear ones.

• Friends have lost their companions.
• Offices have lost their best workers.
• Some people are sick and on the way to the mortuary.
• Persons, who have to help in these times, have responded to the call, at the cost of their own lives such as medical professionals which includes the likes of nurses, doctors and other staff.
• Unemployment has reached a high peak in some countries.
• Many professionals have lost their jobs and some entrepreneurs have closed down their business.

In short, the Corona Outbreak has become a global tragedy that is difficult to put in words.

True, as part of the human community, the Covid-19 virus has caught you off-guard, but it also has given us a worthy chance to unite the entire countries. You, as a human have been given a rare opportunity to build a new society that can be prepared for future epidemics.

What Have We Learned From This Pandemic?

The entire human global community has been forced to participate in a test paper they never even thought in their wildest dreams. They have never studied the subject content – Corona Virus, preventing its outbreak, treatment of the sick, social distancing and economic lockdown. The rules differ for every country as the circumstances are so confusing.

There are many persons and communities around the world who are in lockdown phase or safe homes. Yes, it is boring not to move out of homes, and in this situation, it is wise to practise restraint.

When the World Trade Center got destroyed, every country wanted to suppress terrorism. Now, every country wants to eliminate Covid-19 from all parts of the world.

Some countries are in a complete shut-down phase. Also, countries and Governments which have a strong local presence in the form of community centers have easily come out of the Corona crisis. It is only where the local population does not cater to community circles and have to depend on outside vendors for their food have been hit the worst.

How Has Medical Science Helped In This Situation?

You should not forget the fact that more than 50 doctors in Italy have succumbed due to Covid- 19. A medical professional is doing his/her job by treating Covid-19 patients, but constant exposure may lead them to get infected. The Governments of respective affected countries should take every step in the book to ensure the medical professionals are given the best supplies and suitable resources to take care of themselves.

The entire medical fraternity is facing a shortage of medical equipment – right from medical masks to hospital beds. Very soon, a shortage of skilled medical professionals may arise if the same situation continues. It is up to you, the general public to stop the outspread of this virus. You need to follow the instructions as specified by your Government.

How Can You Help In This Situation?

Just pray to the SUPREME POWER, that the countries affected do not suffer from any other natural calamity – such as floods, famine or cyclones. At the same time, let us sincerely hope that the number of fatalities due to the virus should not experience a steep climb.

Why Should You Read This Article?

There may be many among you, who will feel a little awkward about reading this article in this dire situation when some countries are facing severe problems. Some may, even consider, this article has been published at this uncertain, unusual time as it talks about being positive at all times. But, please note, as mentioned in the very first paragraph of this article, staying positive is the best way to become successful in this time of crisis brought about by the Corona Virus.

How To Fulfill Your Duty as a Human Being in Corona Crisis

1.Enjoy The Little Moments

Are you a nuclear family? There were the days you worked for your family against all odds. Your wife stayed at home and cooked the best recipes. Your children understood the pain their parents went through and got good grades at colleges & schools.

The weekends were merely a source to get your tired bodies and mind rest for the next weekdays. In this lockdown, you can spend sufficient time with your family elders, spouse and kids. Take time to view the morning sunrise from your balcony, enjoy the morning coffee, give the brain cell the rest it needed all these years. Now, after the crisis, you can achieve more because your mind, brain and the entire body has savoured the calm it so desperately needed all these years.

2. Call Your Friends/Relatives

True, the Government may have levied a curfew and maintain social distance, but it has not told you to stay and get isolated from friends and relatives. Make your voice heard.

This is the time to patch-up with your friends and relatives. Take your mobile, call them and catch the events that have unfolded in their lives. Speaking with a blood relative can give the confidence which can ward off stress hormones by the million.

3. Identify The Root Cause of Your Anxiety

There are two ways to fight an unfortunate situation. Either fight or succumb. But running away from the problem can put undue stress on your brain.

To fear is human, but not to get active because of this negative expression is danger. Please do not pass your fears or anxiety to other by expression of anger or isolating yourself.

Instead, identify the root cause of your problem and talk with the family members. Has your Government installed Community Counsellors? Then, seek their assistance.

The general public (you) also has to take a firm stand in not pitting Governments against businesses, religious minorities and communities in all parts of the world. Together, you have to develop alliances as a human race to overcome the crisis and build a better future.

You should not hesitate to ask for assistance. Talk to your aunt about the tips to stockpile food items and preservation. It is not mandatory to follow the advice, but it is necessary to know about the alternative methods.

4. Blaming/Shaming Game

A look at the history pages, and you will know when food grains become scarce, tempers flare high in communities. The blame games then start and even the shaming of a minority community member. You need to hold on to your humanity skills the most to escape from these unwanted acts.

5. Following the Government Instructions

There are many people who take pleasure in being rebels and not following the Government instructions even at this epidemic stage. For example, if the Government says, “Wear mask and maintain social distance.” They will not do it” – not for the reason of being illiterate. It is impossible to judge these persons, if they are acting on impulse or out of distrust. The Government has imposed a curfew for the people not to roam on the streets. These guys will roam on the streets with bikes. If you are one among the mentioned, it is time to seek help or else you can become a victim of the disease.

6. See Always Goodness in Others

This is the most important and difficult factor in these trying times. It is easy to let down your guard of confidence, hope in this situation and see negativity shades in others. But please note, there are enough chances of hope and revival.

Rumours fly left, right, to the sky and bottom, and everywhere. Social media has made it easy for the trouble mongers to circulate videos targeting a specific community about spreading the virus, and indulging in acts of terrorism. True, there are some untoward incidents, but circulating hatred videos will infuse more negativity in society. The result, anger, resentment, losing trust in even your loved family members – all these can make your life miserable when you stay at home.

Please do not rely on unauthentic online information sources and right wing parties. This is the time when human mind becomes filled with negative emotions, and you will not be able to see the REALity. It becomes your sole responsibility to pay respect towards only reliable source of information channels to stop negativity from spreading at a fast pace.

For a moment, kindly think the positive. Has a doctor, nurse or any medical staff shirked their duties and stayed at home, expressing fear of the virus? Even in third countries such as India, they are going to the hospital for assistance. Even the law enforcement agencies are working day and night to regulate the situation and ensure the disease does not spread in more areas and countries.

Businessmen, Millionaires, actors and actresses have contributed millions to the Relief fund of respective countries. You may not have a million nor contribute to any fund, but the least you can do is to keep your family members happy and make them stay positive to handle any challenges for the future.

7. Stay Healthy

How long have you not exercised and made your body break into sweat? This is the time to indulge in yoga, running on tread mills and more.

Why Should You Stay Positive?

Seeing and speaking only positive videos and words can rekindle hope in any unfortunate situation. Medical science has proved persons with positive thoughts can quickly bounce back after an unfortunate incident. Your blood pressure and heart rate works normally and you can encounter any situation.

Persons with positive thoughts and confidence have been found to contain more immunity chemicals in their body. They can fight off any disease with ease. People, always on the point of bickering and spreading negativity can attract negative pathogens in quick time.

Positive emotions influence your judgement capacity, creativity to become successful in any situation.

Conclusion

You should never forget the fact, the worst struggle in this situation takes place not on the body, but the human mind. Men and women of middle age, working professionals, school kids, and college students may have adapted to a certain lifestyle during the weekdays and weekends. Now, staying together may inflate tempers and make situations in some homes worse. It is up to the family elders and you to make the home environment more comfortable. If this happens in every home, it will be just some time, before the entire human race can stand up against not only the Covid-19 virus, but also other pathogens in future.