If there is a guy you want to hang around during a pandemic, it’s definitely Srikumar Rao. I’ve taken his course on Mindvalley and read a book from him, and I feel better every time I hear him speak or read some of his thoughts. He recently spoke in a podcast on Mindvalley about finding inner peace during this pandemic. It was a message from Srikumar Rao on how to view what’s going on and how to stay as calm as possible during this time.
If you don’t have to time to listen to all 30 minutes of it, I’m going to sum up a few of the most important points he talked about. But, if you want to listen to the full podcast, you can go here.
Why Are We So Scared During COVID-19?
This kind of thing hasn’t happened in our lifetime. Unless you are over 100, you wouldn’t have been part of a pandemic. And, even then, you would have been too young to remember it. So, this is a first! We don’t really know how it’s going to play out. It’s scary.
But, Srikumar Rao says that it has happened many times throughout history and the reactions we are having now are similar to the reactions that other people had. It’s just that now more people are affected both physically and mentally because there is a bigger population and we are more connected through travel and instant communication. Information and misinformation are spreading fast. All of this combined makes this pandemic a very unique one and adds to our fears of the unknown.
This pandemic is also a stark reminder that there is not always a given in life. Having water, buying toilet paper, and going to the movies seemed like a given, but they are not. That is scaring us because we felt like we had control and we now realize that we don’t.
Emotions Are Contagious
Srikumar Rao says that the internet is a tool. We don’t get scared because of the internet; we get scared because of the fearful person who is using the internet as a tool.
In other words, if a person using Twitter, for example, is emotionally charged, then they can easily communicate that charge and project anxiety and spread internal turmoil onto a global basis.
This is because if thousands of people believe what that person said has value, everyone will start to feel as though it has value. Even if it’s just a thought born out of fear.
On the flip side, if thousands feel like it has no value, then it has no value.
He says that we ought to be informed, but there is a difference between information and panic. A lot of what we ‘know’ is false. It’s just mental chatter.
Your mental chatter constructs your reality.
Your mental chatter can be hijacked by external circumstances and internal prompts, so it’s important to be observant of it before it takes you on a wild ride of anxiety and fear.
Srikumar Rao says to monitor your mental chatter and direct it to where you want it to go. He says to remember that, for the most part, your mental chatter is fake news. It’s short, it’s catchy, it makes immediate sense, but it’s fake news. It’s not facts that are set in stone. So, let your mental chatter pass like the clouds in the sky.
Practice Creativity And Personal Mastery Right Now
Srikumar Rao says that this is a time where you should use the Creative and Personal Mastery principle. You can watch a video on that below.
What To Do To Find Some Inner Peace During This Pandemic (Or Any Time)
Srikumar Rao says don’t go looking for validation on your mental chatter through websites or social media. Instead, let it pass.
Also, anchor yourself in confidence. Yes, there is a pandemic, but the majority of us will survive and flourish. Don’t lose your humanity while the virus plays out.
And, be driven by the questions who am I, who do I want to be, and how can I be of service? Do not be driven by fear. You will feel better and calmer and be able to project that to others. The more people who do this, the less panic there will be.
Also, accepting the fact that we don’t have control can help us avoid the resistance of ‘what is’ so that we can stop the suffering – because the resistance of anything equals suffering.
Lastly, Srikumar Rao says to be mindful of what you are doing – even if it’s just brushing your teeth. Be present mentally in whatever you are doing. Doing this will help you combat and control mental chatter.
Want to learn more from Srikumar Rao? You can also check out his blog here. And you can take his free masterclass on developing extreme resilience here.
