“These past few weeks have been scary and difficult for many of us,” the author of the bestselling memoir ‘Becoming’ wrote. “We just don’t have a roadmap for what we’re currently experiencing—that in and of itself can bring up feelings of anxiety, loneliness, and fear.”
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Obama reassured fans that they are not alone in their respective environments of ‘isolation’, and shared her coping strategies during this difficult time, including calling friends and staying close to the community by offering to provide lessons to the children of friends who are parents.
“It’s okay to take a breath, too. Be gentle with yourself. Log off when you need to, take a break if you can, and let others know when you’d like a little help,” she concluded.
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Television host Ellen DeGeneres shared a phone call between the friends on Monday where DeGeneres asked Obama how she and her family were being creative and keeping busy.
“We’re just trying to keep our routine going, but also getting Netflix going,” Obama said.
“This is like no other time in history, particularly for our kids, who are is used to being occupied and stimulated all the time. There’s some good and bad that goes with this. I feel for all the folks who are going to suffer because of what’s going on with the economy and we have to be mindful of what we’re going to do to support them when this quarantine is over and people are looking at what’s left of their businesses and their lives, and that is a negative.”
Obama encouraged people to stay positive as this crisis has “forced us to continue to reach out to each other and have real conversations, ask questions and figure out how to keep ourselves occupied without just TV. It’s a good exercise in reminding ourselves that we just don’t need much.”
“Be grateful for what you have and be ready to share it,” she remarked.
CNN also listed a few of her suggestions for keeping in touch with the community in these unusual times:
– Call parents you know and offer to give their kids a lesson (or read them a story).
– Offer to pick up groceries for your most at-risk and older neighbours.
– Call your local hospital or fire station and ask if you can order takeout for the staff.
– Buy gift certificates from your favourite local businesses and save them for later.