Aside from negatively impacting businesses in unprecedented ways, the Covid-19 global pandemic is also wreaking havoc on people’s normal life patterns. National borders remain shut to International & Domestic travel, and if you lack the right mindset, your stay-at-home life may plunge you into poor mental health. Happiness is priceless, so do your best to keep negative emotions out. Even though times may be hard due to the disruptions brought by the Covid-19, there’s a glimmer of hope for a cure. Here are the top nine ways to stay positive during the coronavirus pandemic.
Tips to Stop Negative Thoughts in their Tracks
Engage in physical exercises
The Covid-19 era has been one of the most unhappy times for many Americans in the last 50 years. A Coronavirus response tracking research study reported that, compared to 2018, the happiness levels of Americans have dropped by 31%. The number-one step to staying happy amidst the pandemic is to take good care of your body by engaging in physical exercises. Your physical fitness is deeply connected to your emotional well-being. Happiness coaches suggest that exercise is a magical ingredient for improving the psychological state of people. One research study also found out that even a 12-minute walk is enough to turn around the people’s feelings from sad moods to happiness.
Practice mediation
Meditation is a devotional exercise involving contemplation. You can experience your inner joy by taking some time off to practice meditation for at least five minutes a day. According to expert views, when you meditate, you release neurochemicals that are essential for stress reduction.
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Have social connections
The Covid-19 pandemic gave birth to social-distancing protocols, all of which means that people are advised to keep safe distances from social gatherings. But without the presence of family, friends, and loved ones, your life may feel empty. Both ancient and contemporary philosophers have linked the happiness levels of individuals to their social connections. Thankfully, with the advent of the internet, it’s possible for people to keep in touch with their social connections without breaking social distancing measures. If you’re stuck in lock-downs and quarantine, you can still talk to your loved ones through digital platforms such as social media. Now may just be the perfect time to keep your loved ones filled with happiness by connecting with them over the internet.
Enjoy the views of nature
Right now, connecting with the beauty of nature may be harder to get, especially if your region is still battling with skyrocketing new case counts. When your surroundings are all closed to human traffic, you will realize that you can no longer travel to exciting places such as beach resorts and holiday parties. However, provided movement restrictions are eased a bit, then you may be able to walk around your house to catch a glimpse of nature’s soothing beauty. According to Allison Buskirk, a psychology professor at the Valley University, exposure to the external environment is associated with good mental health and stress management. Research studies suggest that when you expose yourself to the natural environment, your frontal lobe brain activity is lowered. This means that your brain will feel more relaxed. The good news is that people who are unable to go out can still experience similar happiness effects by viewing photographs of the natural environment. Examples include mountain views and beach photographs.
Finding Clarity and Inner Peace in Nature
Be thankful for everything
According to former Monk Jay Shetty, thankfulness can help people find their happiness during these troubling times. Pause for a moment, and express your gratitude for all the good stuff that has happened to you so far. If you can’t appreciate the good times you’ve had before the crisis, it may be difficult to get over the aftermath of the pandemic. For instance, you can reminisce about the memories of the last wonderful vacation trip you went on with your family or friends. Despite the virus challenges confronting the world today, look at the bigger picture, and be thankful for your life. After all, after a storm comes calm and this too shall pass. “There are a lot of great moments in our lives that our minds often trick us into forgetting”, the happiness coach added. So, cherish the sweet moments, and experience happiness.
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Explore your senses
With so much grim statistics pouring in, day in and day out, how do you ignore the bad news and stay positive? Well, it turns out your senses can be of great help if happiness is your desire. Think about that one thing that appeals to your visual senses, and give yourself a treat. For example, comedy lovers can stay glued to their television screens and watch funny videos. You can also scroll through your photo gallery and let your eyes feed on the beautiful pictures of you and your loved ones. Also, your sense of scent has the power to transform your feelings from negative to positive. Absorb a calming scent from eucalyptus branches, baked goods — and anything that delights your sense of scent. Finally, music cannot be out of the list of beneficial sources of happiness. Good music can entertain your ears and introduce happiness into your soul. Prepare a playlist of your favorite hit tracks, and you are set to experience your peace of mind.
Concentrate on the things you can control
Worrying about things you absolutely have no control over, can breed unhappiness. For example, the Covid-19 is something that’s beyond your control. So, instead of worrying about the increasing fatalities and the lack of vaccines, look at how you can protect yourself by staying at home and obeying the Covid-19 guidelines. The real danger in worrying about things you can’t control is that you excite the “flight or fight” mechanisms of your nervous system. When these are engaged, you will be exposed to anxiety, depression, apathy, and even hopelessness. Apparently, the Coronavirus social-distancing directives may seem like punishments to some extent. But you have got to realize that the war against the infectious disease is actually a long battle. And to overcome this battle, you need to focus on what lies within your power and leave the uncontrollable events as they are.
Eat healthy and sleep healthy
Your diet and sleep patterns can influence your mood during the pandemic. Thankfully, these things are within your control. Therefore, you have to plan your days, meals, and sleeping hours. Healthy diets can boost your immune system against the virus. A strong immune system comprises your overall physical and psychological well-being. And so, by staying positive, that’s one big plus for your immune system. Healthy diets should also go hand-in-hand with the quality of sleep. These habits can contribute to making you emotionally resilient to fight on through challenging times.
Understand that you’re not alone
Covid-19 has criss-crossed all the continents on the earth’s surface. So, there is no good reason to believe that you’re the only person facing adversity. This is exactly how a global crisis looks like – economic downturns, emotional imbalances, and gnashing of teeth. No one is a fan of the dreadful social isolation and movement restrictions. Yet the world is united in an effort to sail through the uncertainties. If you are to win back your happiness lost to Covid-19, it’s up to you to understand that even though the world is not in normal times, the impact of the crisis is actually normal.
To summarize, Covid-19 is not the first nor the last crisis to visit the world. Therefore, gather your momentum and actively seek nothing but positive energy.
