So many challenges, issues and restrictions left, right and centre.

Just when you think things couldn’t get any worse with all of the climate problems, storms, floods and forest fires, along comes Coronavirus.

It’s not always easy to cope with change at the best of times and there is no easy answer. Some of the stresses imposed on us in these uncertain times are clearly out of our control, but what we can control is our reaction – or at least try to. As Dr Selye says, “It’s not the stress that kills us, it’s our reaction to it“.

I’ve always driven old cars and some time ago a friend said something to me about a particular old banger I was driving at the time and that I really liked driving (this one). He said ‘You like it because you can afford it‘. The car was worth very little and I could easily afford something much fancier, which made that statement very profound. At least to me it was. Had that tatty old car been all I could afford, then maybe I would crave something better, maybe I would hate it.

I joke with friends that I have been self-isolating since 2010. Obviously this is not completely true but since moving to the countryside that year and changing our lifestyle (significantly and to something much simpler), we are much more prepared for self-isolation than we otherwise would be. Any choices we’ve made along the way have always felt like good ones because they have been choices we’ve wanted to make rather than anything imposed upon us.

So when things are not our choice, or choices we have to make that we didn’t particularly want to make, then obviously it can feel a lot worse, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be that way.

Here are some ideas of how to make some lemonade if you’re self-isolating:

• to the workaholic who suddenly has to work from home, rather than see this as a huge burden, why not use that restriction to reconnect with your family that you are now spending more time with.
• Get some of those jobs around the house done that you’ve been promising to do for years (finally, finish tiling the bathroom, fix the leaking tap,
• Declutter – if you’re going to be spending more time at home then this is never a bad idea
• Do an online course
• Take up a new hobby (or rekindle an old one as I mention I am doing below)
• Use the time you have to reconnect to some friends you lost touch with
• …

In this highly connected world there are many things you can do at home, or from home but even in times of self-isolation, there are still things you can do outdoors too as long as you restrict or are very careful about social interactions and certain public places. Our dog still gets the same amount of exercise she ever has, maybe more.

Personally – I have given up golf which I’ve been playing for years, partly due to injury but predominantly due to prioritising Table Tennis. It’s now 7 months since I last picked up a golf club for anything close to a proper game. I never thought that would happen, but have found another sport I love even more – Table Tennis. So I could be devastated about all my table tennis leagues, clubs and tournaments now being cancelled but rather I am going to try and get back into golf again (which seems a fairly covid-19 safe sport considering it is out in the open, something I can do on my own and something that doesn’t expose me to any surfaces like door handles etc).

It’s also just not the end of the world if all sport is cancelled – because there will be other things to do. Life is just too short and too interesting – even in the face of this Coronavirus – not to find other stuff and new opportunities.

There are obviously people who are going to be in really dire situations as a result of this global tragedy but as far as you can, see if you can make an opportunity out of your changed circumstances. The net result may still even be bad but it may be possible to make it a lot less-so. That could be as simple as a mindset-shift or something more deliberate. What can you do to turn as much of the situation as possible to your advantage?