Surviving The COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis
Life Skills: The key to success

As we confront the next wave of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic during the upcoming winter of 2020/2021, many will not survive to live through this pandemic.

Those of us that will escape death will face struggle and hardships as a consequence of adhering to COVID-19 compliance directives and tighter restrictions as we enter the new surge.

 The demographics that are especially prone to facing hardship are school age kids, young adults in their formative years, working parents, and the hospitality industry service providers --- especially the segment of hardest hit  restaurant owners and entertainment venues. The latter of the two demographic segments are my income producing clients and business associates that I have working relationships with.

Thus far, I am witnessing a great deal of panic, anger, and despair. But also, there is light at the end of the tunnel with some optimism about the long-term effects.

I am amongst those that are optimistic that our nation, and most of those affected, will not only survive the crisis, but will emerge stronger and more successful as a result of their pre-existing life skills, or their improved life skills gained from the experience.

Life skills are critical to success and are not hereditary ---
they must be taught

·        People with high EQ (strong life skills) are likely to re-invent themselves, their careers, and/or businesses, as they face and struggle to overcome financial hardships, chronic diseases, disabilities, and social and human injustices.

·        The term ‘Life Skills’ refers to the skills you need to make the most out of life and are needed to deal effectively with the challenges and hardships of life. EQ (Emotional Quotient) is the measurement of Life Skills.

·        In life, without exception, we are all going to face tragedy, crisis, and hardship, to some degree.  If tragedy does not kill us, we are going to emerge either stronger or weaker for the experience.

·        To quote author and educator Charles R. Swindoll, “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” He stresses the importance of our attitudes in life, and how each morning when we wake up, we have a choice as to which attitude, we will choose to embrace that day.
For some – They will accept the harsh reality of their situations. These people are apt to take on the role of victim, blaming their circumstances on others for their shortcomings, and retreating into an echo chamber of like-minded people who are sympathetic and only serve to reinforce their beliefs and attitudes. 
For others -
Harsh realities are not accepted. These people are remarkable individuals. They succeed, despite what has happened to them, their past, and their difficulties. When faced with adversity, their positive attitudes and life skills prepare them to seek out solutions for survival and success.

The impact of life skills on the the demographics
most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic

Hospitality industry service providers, especially the segment of hardest hit restaurant owners and entertainment venues.

·        Failure is a life skill. It is the least appreciated and most misunderstood of all life skills.

·        This needs to be understood by the hardest hit restaurant owners and entertainment venues who are facing bankruptcy and must re-invent themselves and/or their business model.

·        Failure is one of the biggest contributors to success. Almost every successful person in the world has learned some invaluable lessons from failure which helped them to succeed later in life.

·        To quote Richard Branson, founder Virgin Group: “You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing and falling over and over.”

·        According to Steven Stein, CEO of Multi-Health Systems, a test-publishing company, “Employers of today are looking for individuals with high EQ. Companies like Google, American Express, and FedEx have  it high on their list when they select people.”

School age kids and young adults in their formative years

·        A high IQ will get you through school, a high EQ will get you through life
(EQ is the measurement of life skills)

·        Developing life skills are especially important to school aged children affected by the COVID-19 crisis, and to home-schooled children who do not have the benefit of social interaction by attending an in-person class-room environment with group activities.

·        “Forget homeschooling during the pandemic, teach life skills instead”  --- according to Ellen Galinsky, Chief Science Officer of the Bezos Family Foundation, and author of Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs: “If families can use this as a chance to engage their kids in genuine learning, that could be transformational for kids’ development.” furthermore, “Studies show that people with a sense of purpose are the most likely to thrive, especially when times are tough,”

Kids with chronic diseases and disabilities

Unfortunately, or fortunately (because it is never too late to learn), I wasn’t able to have the opportunity to put these principles into practice and to witness or gauge the results until my early sixties when I founded and served as the first Executive Director of Camp Quality New Jersey, a program for kids with cancer.

As background, the motto of Camp Quality is “We cannot do anything about the quantity of a child’s life, but all of us can do something about the quality.” This is all about making a difference in someone’s life.

This is a great example of how life skills, especially with cancer survivors, who are desperately in need of tools to deal with the future.

Camp Quality provides life skill development activities and programs for kids with cancer including an annual overnight sleepaway camp, and year-round programs for kids with cancer, at no cost to their parents.

Kids with cancer, because of their physical and emotional handicaps, are prone to struggling with their ability to lead a normal, productive life.

Kids with Cancer face a life of physical and emotional pain, and social ostracism.  Children with cancer live with the daily prospect of a flare-up, a setback, another hospitalization and even death. They may also miss large chunks of school time that sets them apart from their peers and even when they return, they must attempt to catch up weeks or months of work.

Through extensive recruitment and selection of the best applicants, we were able to staff our program with positive role model volunteers, consisting primarily of college students and young adults having a high EQ and strong life skills. These dedicated volunteers give up a substantial amount of their time without pay, come equipped to teach kids with cancer, life skills.

The program has been wildly successful in doing something about the quality of the lives of kids with cancer --- and in making a difference in their lives.

Most of these kids with cancer have experienced a remarkable turnaround. Many of them return as adults to volunteer, others have gone on to function as productive, emotionally secure adults.

This has been one of my most rewarding life experiences ---making a difference in someone’s life.

“When you cease to make a contribution, you begin to die.” --- Eleanor Roosevelt

And from a historical perspective, let us not forget
“The Greatest Generation”

This generation of young adults in their formative years put their lives on hold to endure tragedy, hardships, and sacrifices for a common cause --- and yet to this day, remain remarkably humble about what they have done.

During World War II, all young adult males at 18 years of age were liable for service, although 17-year-olds were able to enlist with parental consent. Women also put their lives on hold to take on nontraditional, and vitally important roles of factory worker to assist in the war effort.
418,500 American military and civilians died because of this war. Most of those that survived emerged stronger with well-developed life skills.

Frank Dalotto
Publisher, New Jersey Leisure Guide

New Jersey Leisure Guide

November, 2020