As we enter what is likely to be an extended period of social isolation, many of us will be challenged to remain positive while we work through periods of illness, adapting to new ways of working, and new daily routines. The nature of social media and uninterrupted access to news also puts us at risk of increased anxiety and other mental health issues.
In a state where we feel like we have very little control, where the future is so uncertain, it’s healthier to focus on the now. To bring in a few elements of our day that put us totally in control and enable us to use some of our new-found time and flexibility to help us emerge stronger, at least in some ways.
Your First Priorities
Before we explore some of the ways each of us can take back control in terms of our financial wellbeing, we first need to establish a couple of principles:
- Put on your own mask first. Your health and wellbeing takes priority – no matter what’s going on, staying healthy and taking care of yourself is the main priority
- The health of your community – if you’re well, then there are others who will need your help. Being kind and taking extra care of those around you, especially the more vulnerable in your community, is a priority!
Taking control
Once you, your loved ones, and your community have what they need, why not take a few moments and think about ways you might be able to take control.  You might even enhance your own financial wellbeing! It’s clear that our economy and our community may take some time to recover fully from this, so anything we can do now to make yourself more resilient is time well spent.
Over the coming days and weeks, we want to help you by providing a guide, a prompt, and some tips and tricks for areas of your financial life that may help your financial wellbeing. Helping you to identify areas of your financial life that you can assess and challenge together with actions you and your family can take to enhance your financial wellbeing.
We also hope this forum will be a place of positivity, one where we can share our highs and support each other through any lows.
The Road Ahead
Much will be different about our world when we emerge from this period, much we can’t control. Let this series guide you through parts of your life you do control which will help give you the strength you need to manage the parts of your life where you may have less control.
As always, if you need help, ASK! We will provide a number of resources and links to resources that can help you and you can always ask us or our community for help.
Keep an eye out over the coming weeks as we’re developing webinars and other online resources to provide much needed support to people during this challenging period.
