Intense thunderstorms battered the United Arab Emirates (UAE), unleashing rainfall on Dubai, the desert metropolis, within a matter of hours. Major highways and the international airport were submerged which brought the whole city and the country to a stand.

Residents have been sharing across messages on blocked roads. Meanwhile both public and private entities have asked their employees to work from home.

The downpour that began late Monday, drenched Dubai’s sands and streets with approximately 20mm of rain, as recorded by meteorological data from Dubai International Airport. On Tuesday, the storms had heightened, persisting throughout the day, inundating the city with further rainfall and hail.

Kunal Wadhwani, the CHRO of Choithrams wrote on his LinkedIn a post that we thought should be shared with the wider audience who could be feeling the mental stress of the day.

“I believe that daily experiences teach us everything about life and if we just focus on taking small steps we can develop ourselves a little bit each day,” Wadhwani told The HR Observer.

“If we focus on developing ourselves a little bit each day, then after a few days we will have developed a lot,” he added.

Wadhwani who was out for the morning run on Monday, was left in an open area as the sky poured. He writes the following:

“By the time I found shelter, my shoes were drenched. The day went by with me waiting for some sunshine to dry them out, but alas, it was dark all day. In the end, I shared the lamp with our in-house tortoises.

Waiting through the day, hoping for some sunshine, feeling the urgent need to dry my shoes, I was thinking “Do you feel the need to control everything around you”? You can’t control how your colleagues think and act. You can’t control the traffic. You can’t control whether your loved ones become ill. And yet, accepting that you can’t control these things can be difficult in itself. But although you can’t control the world around you, you can control your reaction to it.

It’s common that life feels chaotic or overwhelming at times, & it can be easy to get stuck in a cycle of stress and worry. But there are things you can do to cope with the chaos and find some calm:

1. Address your mindset
2. Identify what you can control
3. Practice mindfulness
4. Use deep breathing
5. Journal your thoughts

If all of the above doesn’t work, seek help! There is no shame in working on your mental health. The reality is, we have no control over other people’s behaviors and choices whether on a personal or global scale. All we can do is work on our own.”

Editor’s Note: I read Kunal Wadhani’s post list on LinkedIn so I approached to re-publish it on the website. At The HR Observer, our editorial strategy revolves around fostering a community where individuals share tips to navigate the ever-expanding modern workplace.We hope this list of to-dos help you remember your strength.