What I Know from the Coronavirus

It’s everywhere you turn these days - Coronavirus. You turn on the news (am not much for watching tv) and it’s as if the world is ending the way they are reporting it. The news media has been so skewed of late am not so sure what to believe. As I see it, many are simply trying to lay their opinions on me.

Some people have asked me what I think of the coronavirus thing. This is what I tell them.

I tell them I found out the other day that over 43,000 people who contracted the virus have recovered! How about that? Yet, all you hear about is how many contracted the disease, and how many died. I had no idea people survived the thing. Be careful of the data we’re being fed. I had not heard it anywhere else except on a news conference Vice President Mike Pence gave. Made me ask, “whatever happened with our news media? Whatever happened with the old media? Why is it the media doesn’t see the good anymore? Shocking. What does that tell you? Tells me a lot. Here I was thinking this strange thing is a death sentence if you catch it. Yet people are actually recovering. Wow!

So I tell those who ask. I don’t just sit there like a zombie and consume the junk outlets conjure up to bombard us with. I look for what am not being fed too. To me the media needs to find its way again. Its lost right now and doesn't seem to want to find its way.

Gov. Newsome declared a state of emergency in the state of California. It was reported in the media. So am thinking "wow". Am thinking, how and why would a governor do that? He's killing businesses, and literally wiping out fortunes. Then I found out through some digging that governors and local governments typically would declare states of emergency to be in the position to release important resources that they otherwise could not access - emergency appropriations, the national guard, etc. It does not mean the state is going on lock-down, or the sky is falling. And yet the media did not clarify that in broadcasts after broadcasts I saw. It would be useful at least to help viewers understand why it was necessary for him to do that. 

I also say to people that I take precautions the medical experts recommend – wash your hands with soap for at least 21 secs often and avoid putting hands on your face or that of others. They make these recommendations based on fact - evidence-based. So I say take basic steps like you would ahead of some inevitable danger - a hurricane, or tornado for instance. You know, board things up and sandbags, and so on. I say too that I take control and protect myself, my family, and my surroundings.

I tell them also, ... Don’t get me wrong. Things could get bad, even pretty bad. The experts say they don't know very much about the thing. Yet things can also get good. These experts are pretty good and may just get the whole thing under control quickly. Who knows? I don't know. Whatever happens take charge, get the facts, get the evidence, get the good, the bad, the ugly and prepare so you minimize damage the “danger” could do to me and my family.

Now, am not suggesting to not get info on what’s going on. What am saying is to be more purposeful in what you watch. I’d say – search out and watch only what’s factual information, and preferably complete. Practically insulate yourself from the junk. It’s a silent killer. If you stick with the usual tv stuff you will get more of the same – yes, more Coronavirus scare. It’s mostly (or should I say “all”) negative. Take care of business. Don't get irrational!

I’d say, read a few good books, eat well, drink well, and workout well to get in the best shape of your life. Focus.

I was thinking the other day, the work we do in our field (human, social & justice services) is so really, really, really, (that’s not a typo) challenging and important. The last thing I/we need is a bunch of network spinners sitting in a room slicing and dicing the many ways to shock us into believing the world will explode right now if we don’t do something, or everyone will die from, yup you guessed it – Coronavirus. Is that how you spell it? Or is it Covid-19?

Ok – maybe am being a bit dramatic. Nevertheless am trying to make a point here.

How about we throw the nation's MIGHT at finding antidotes for mental health illness?

How about a cure for substance use disorders?

What about all those behavioral disorders out there?

Is there a cure?

Wouldn’t it be something if we have something that just zaps them and they are cured? Uhm? Wouldn’t it. Wouldn't it be like WOOOOOWWWW! I bet there is a way. We just aren’t seeing it - yet.

Seriously, I bet we could find a cure if we set our minds to it. I believe that.

Now, speaking of purposefully going after what’s positive let’s consider this:

Decide today to only do what’s effective, what works well. Go after good and great results. How about that for a novel idea? Personal, social and professional life. Decide to do everything correct. Go for the best every time. One way is to find what works, methods that proven to be effective for getting results we are after. It means, don’t bungle your way through life and work, or "know" from your own mistakes. Instead, "know" from others. Especially "know" from their successes and model those. Search out others or resources we can know from. And they are everywhere too.

Speaking of Knowing, ok - here's my close...I invite you to join us at the premier conference for Evidence-Based Professionals in the great city of New Orleans for our...

14^th Annual Spring EB Pathways Conference and Masterclasses

Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel | April 29 - May 1, 2020

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There you will meet some of our field’s finest and most positive professionals there are. At the conference you will not only learn from the expert faculty, you will learn also from professionals like you. They are actually doing work using proven approaches and will be there to share their experiences, lessons learned, what to disregard, and what worked well too. That way you will be in a position to purposefully refine or devise your own very plan of action with what you “know” from others’ experiences not yours alone. 

Opinion of Sobem Nwoko, President, Joyfields Institute.

If you like you can share your views with me about anything. Email me at [email protected].