Episode 94: ANOTHER EPIDEMIC: THE "FEAR" FLU

In early fall of 2009, the swine flu added another hardship for Americans struggling through the Great Recession. Recommendations by health authorities at that time were much the same as today - frequent handwashing and limited contact with anyone who might be carrying the virus. Peter and Jenny revisit a somewhat humorous but to-the-point blog post written during that time. Fear can be just as contagious as a virus - and sometimes just as destructive. In the first segment of this podcast, Peter and Jenny review the similarities between the challenges of 2009 and today, and the emotions that can complicate any time of difficulty. In the second segment, we share the original blog, "Another Epidemic: The 'Fear' Flu", and begin to explore the differences between "worry" and "concern". Defining the important differences between worry and concern forms the topic of our third segment, along with practical suggestions for making positive choices in hard times, acting from a place of concern. Questions from our final segment: 1)Briefly, to review, what are the key differences between worry and concern?, 2) How can emotions complicate our ability to stop worrying and act from a place of concern?, and 3) How can we best share our struggles, compassion and concern with others during hard times, without spreading fear and negativity?