Guest Commentary | Addictions and mental illnesses are issues that people are afraid to address

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator


Honesty is not always the easiest path but it’s usually the most loving path.

Let’s say you have a loved one or friend who is diabetic but they eat crazy stuff every day from pizza to cookies to soda pop without regard for personal health. Is it best for you to treat them to treats containing white flour and sugar every chance you can or to have a talk with them? Of course, you run the risk of hurting feelings or making the person angry but chances are they are going to die sooner than they should. It’s best to try to save the person’s life by being honest. You don’t have to cut the person’s head off with a verbal assault or face slapping rhetoric.

Love doesn’t attack people. You shouldn’t get preachy because this runs most people away. Simply preface your remarks by saying, “I’m your friend. I care about you and your life. I want you to live a long time. However, if you don’t stop eating what you eat all the time you are probably going to shorten your life.” This could pertain to any negative activity or addiction.

Having serious conversations with people is not easy. We are all busy. We aren’t close enough to most people to be this direct. Plus, we really have to care a lot about someone to be lovingly honest. We run the risk of the friendship becoming strained or evenly totally severed. The bottom line is do you care enough to be honest? Plus, don’t ever start making life recommendations to someone unless you truly love the person and are willing to help the individual work through the issues.

It’s easier to let people continue on their negative path to self destruction. Fast food and unhealthy food items are unfortunately much more affordable. It’s not cheap to eat healthy. It’s not cheap to be sick either. Medical bills can pile up quickly. Trips to the doctor are expensive. Diabetic medications are expensive. Kidney issues result in dealth for many Americans every year. Funerals are expensive. Giving up a good friend or family member is life changing.

Disease happens to us all in some way. These bodies are very vulnerable to cancer, diabetes and so on.

Chances are you may have tried. Most likely you have talked your head off to someone you love but they continue in their negative behavior. It seems many people under 50 can’t fathom sickness or death. The consequences of their behavior seem remote or even impossible. Thus they continue on their way.

Of course we all have to look in the mirror. We all wrestle with our private and public demons. Most of us know we aren’t perfect and if we take a serious inventory of our lives and habits we realize we all come away short of perfection, this is especially true of me. I have lots of personal work to do and it’s all I can do to try to do my own daily diagnosis and repair work. This is why we don’t take the time to try to help others; we have enough problems of our own.

Therefore, this is why you have to really care a lot about someone to take the time to try to help the person.

If you had the gift of premonition and could keep someone from being killed in an accident you wouldn’t hesitate to speak with them about it. So, why, if you can help someone address personal issues/addictions that might be deadly, wouldn’t you try? Unfortunately, addictions and mental illnesses are issues that people seem to be afraid to address. If someone you love was inside a burning building, most of us would risk our own lives to rush in and save them.

Why is it so hard to risk hurt feelings to save a life?


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Dr. Glenn Mollette is a syndicated American columnist and author of Grandpa's Store, American Issues, and ten other books. He is read in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization.

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This article is the sole opinions of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Sentinel. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.


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Is your small business ready for the next pandemic lockdown?

Photo: Tetiana SHYSHKINA/Unsplash
SNS - As the lasting effects of COVID-19 become more and more apparent, many business owners are asking themselves how they might prepare for the next pandemic. For this reason, it is important that business owners have a plan in place for the future.

This can include a variety of different solutions. Most of them involve optimizing existing practices in addition to developing new strategies. With a solid strategy in place, you can ensure the company is able to ride out any disruptions.

Furthermore, businesses can take proactive measures now and remain proactive throughout any further lockdowns. This will allow them to mitigate their losses and decrease the overall impact of any future pandemic. That is why, In this article, we'll take a look at some helpful guidelines to keep in mind as you prepare for potential pandemics.

1. Review Your Business Operations

Reviewing your business operations is a critical step in preparing for a potential lockdown. Assessing your business model to ensure it's sustainable during a lockdown, identifying which products or services can be offered remotely, and evaluating how your supply chain may be impacted can help you determine which aspects of your business need to be adjusted to maintain operations.

Assessing your business model involves taking a close look at how your business functions and what changes may need to be made in order to continue operating during a lockdown. This is especially important if you are running a small business. For example, if your business relies heavily on foot traffic, you may need to consider new marketing strategies or offering online services to continue generating revenue.

Photo:Microsoft 365/Unsplash

2. Examine Your First Reaction to COVID-19

How did you handle prior lockdowns, and where did you make mistakes?

The first thing you must do is to revise your pandemic preparations if necessary. If you can identify the points at which your company's response is stalled, you can take steps to fortify your business continuity plan. Vaccines, for example, are more readily available today than in 2020. However, since the window of opportunity to receive the vaccine is small, vaccinating your staff now can be a good first step in preparing for the next outbreak.

3. Take Your Businesses Online

As a precaution against the global spread of COVID-19, several nations have instituted mandatory lockdowns, requiring workers in many industries to work remotely. Because of this, now more than ever, we are dependent on technology to do our jobs. That's why there's been a surge in money spent on new technologies. Companies that want to survive have adapted by allowing their workers the flexibility to do some or all of their duties from the comfort of their own homes.

This means that if you wish to prepare for the next pandemic, you have to create a hybrid work model. While this may seem like a bad thing, it is not. It will allow you to downsize and save money on rent. That said, if you decide to downsize and move your office someplace else, you should know about some challenges that can come during this process. 

4. Use Technology to Augment, Not Replace, People

Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, technology has allowed us to reevaluate how we go about even the most basic tasks. While the stock market's trading floors were closed, the market itself continued to function. For instance, the United Kingdom's Parliament now exists online.

Virtual call centers are proliferating all over the globe, and some of them even utilize AI. They use it to keep up with the volume of calls and the quality of service they provide.

These advances are remarkable, but many of the technologies and tools we are now getting a crash course in — like Microsoft Teams or Zoom — have the potential to allow us to achieve much more.

Rather than integrating technology with the existing workforce, many companies' first instinct is to replace employees with machines. Company heads should take advantage of the current time to consider how their companies may better use technology to enhance human capabilities in order to boost productivity, enrich the lives of their workers, satisfy their consumers, and stimulate economic expansion.

5. Devise a Lockdown Exit Strategy

The gross domestic product of several countries has recently plummeted as a result of the pandemic. For this reason, Governments are seriously considering certain lockdown escape strategies. These strategies will enable them to reboot economies while minimizing losses.

In a similar vein, companies will need to find out how to resume normal operations while still prioritizing the safety of their employees and coping with the immediate fallout of the lockdown. Planning is necessary for employees' eventual return to the office, as well as for any visits to customers' locations.

Since few businesses would return to the same working and customer service habits they had before 2020, we can anticipate short-term effects on productivity, prices, and employee morale. Additionally, in order to switch vendors quickly and easily, businesses may need to make their supply chains more agile and flexible.

6. Upskill and Cross-Train the Workforce

If you want to prepare for the next pandemic, you must look at cross-training their staff to guarantee the smooth running of the firm. This will provide them with more adaptability and a quicker turnaround when redeploying personnel.

That said, a skills audit may help firms gain insight into their staff's collective expertise. This tool can help you identify areas where your employees lack the necessary skills or where one person's absence could cause a coverage gap. With this information, you will be able to ensure that your business can function no matter what happens.

Conclusion

Now you know that if you want to prepare for the next pandemic, you need to plan carefully and have effective communication and flexibility. Reviewing your business operations, creating a contingency plan, investing in technology, and communicating effectively with customers and employees can help you weather the storm and emerge stronger on the other side.

By taking these steps, you can position your business for success even in the face of unexpected challenges. With the right preparation, your business can not only survive but thrive in the midst of a lockdown.



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