When leaders warn, “It’ll get worse before it gets better,”
they cast a shadow that binds us in a tether.
Society hears, fears—the cycle we must endure,
a never-ending struggle, a fate unsure.

Caught in a time warp, we wait and worry,
yearning for the storm to pass, for the long-awaited story.
Why wish for chaos? Why crave the worst?
Is it fascination—just to watch the bubble burst?

We’re drawn to suspense, to mystery’s grip,
on the edge of our seats, a mind-bending trip.
I, too, admit, nightly I tune in,
tracking the body count, feeding the spin.

But what’s the point in this despair?
Shouldn’t we strive to manage, to care,
to turn our gaze, to shift our view,
from fear to hope, from gray to blue?

So let us become optimists and cheer;
declare aloud, “We shall persevere, my dear.”
Together, united, we’ll find the way—
a brighter dawn awaits our day.

Edited by: ElRoyPoet, 2020

Prompt: When leaders say: “it will get worse before it gets better” they are dooming all of society. When the citizens hear this, they begin to anticipate that ‘it has to get worse before it can get better’. They begin to feel like they’re stuck in a time warp—while at the same time hoping—for the inevitable to arrive already, so that they can get on with their lives. Why would anybody want the worst-case scenario? The reason this phenomenon occurs, is because people are intrigued and addicted to suspense and mystery movies. Their curiosity causes them to be on the edge of their seats while waiting for a resolution or catastrophe. I know—I’m guilty of this also, because every evening, I tune into the news report, so that I can keep track of the body count. But in retrospect, it doesn’t make any sense to me, shouldn’t I be doing my best to manage the crisis, in order to reduce the casualties? So, I’m suggesting we change our viewpoint and become more optimistic with our expressions. We should instead become prophets of encouragement and say: “we shall overcome, and we will get through this—together!”

“The science behind, the effects of stress in our life: Anxiety, of course, has a purpose. It protects us from harm. Psychologist Rollo May first wrote in 1977: “We are no longer prey to tigers and mastodons but to damage to our self-esteem, ostracism by our group, or the threat of losing out in the competitive struggle. The form of anxiety has changed, but the experience remains relatively the same.” In other words, even though humans today aren’t chased by predators, we are chased by uncertainty about the health of our loved ones, whether we’ll have a job next week or next year, whether our company will go bankrupt—worries that provoke the same neurological and physical responses.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, “Stress is a response to a threat in a situation. Anxiety is a reaction to the stress.” Anxiety is fear of what might happen in the future. Sometimes that fear is rational and sometimes not. And sometimes it’s about something that will happen in three minutes (stepping onto a stage to make a presentation, for example) or in 30 years (having enough money to retire).
In the United States, anxiety is the most common mental illness, affecting more than 40 million adults each year. Data from the National Institute of Mental Health has indicated that about 30% of Americans experience clinical anxiety at some point in their lives. These numbers will only increase in the wake of the pandemic.
The good news for those of us who have managed anxiety for a long time is that we were made for this moment. Data shows that anxious people process threats differently, using regions of the brain responsible for action. We react quickly in the face of danger. We may also be more comfortable with uncomfortable feelings. When channeled thoughtfully, anxiety can motivate us to make our teams more resourceful, productive, and creative. It can break down barriers and create new bonds. Excerpts from: Leading Through Anxiety

“Having a purpose and meaning in life is a very important coping mechanism. Whatever we do in life, whatever work we produce, however much money we make, we cannot be fully happy until we know that someone else needs us, that someone else depends on our accomplishments, or on the love that we have to share. It’s not that we need other people’s good words to keep going in life, but if we don’t do something with someone else in mind, then we’re at much higher risk for poor mental health. The famous neurologist Dr. Victor Frankel said: “For people who think there’s nothing to live for and nothing more to expect from life, the question is getting these people to realize that life is still expecting something from them.” Doing something with someone else in mind can carry you through the toughest times. You’ll know the why for your existence and will be able to bear almost any how. So the question is do you do at least one thing with someone else in mind? This could be volunteering, or it could be sharing this knowledge that you gained today with other people, especially those who need it most, and these are often the people who don’t have money for therapy, and they’re usually the ones with the highest rates of anxiety disorders. Give it to them, share with others, because it can really improve your mental health. So I would like to conclude with this: another way you can do something with someone else in mind is finishing work that might benefit future generations. Even if these people will never realize what you’ve done for them, it doesn’t matter, because you will know, and this will make you realize the uniqueness and importance of your life.” Transcript excerpt from: How To Cope With Anxiety