Ten Ways To Stay Positive During Tough Times

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In these days of uncertainty it is normal to have heightened anxiety and fear. A lot of us have never been through anything like this coronavirus pandemic. Whether they are high risk or not, most people will be spending more, if not all, of their time at home. Following are some suggestions for ways to help you stay positive. These are suggestions and not medical advice. If you have new or worsening depression or anxiety, please contact your healthcare provider immediately.

*Note: Our hearts go out to those who have been affected by the coronavirus outbreak and their loved ones. May time bring you peace.

1. Allow yourself some time to worry. But not too much.

Some people may say you need to stop thinking about it. But your fears are real and should be acknowledged. You can say to them “ I recognize you and understand you”. Then try to put them away for the day since there is little benefit to worrying about things you can not change.

2. Keep a gratitude log .

I haphazardly journal. But I am making a point to write a few lines each day and include what I am grateful for. It makes you realize that the argument over who ate your leftovers was trivial- (ok, it was me).

3. Try Meditation.

Ah, this is a tough one for many people. But meditating can help manage stress and improve your outlook. I highly recommend the Calm app, it is a little pricey but well worth it. It has a daily calm, meditations for specific topics, and my favorite, sleep stories.

4. Indulge in your favorite hobbies. Or start a new one.

I am currently obsessed with watercolor painting. I am no great artist but I love how the paints interact with each other, water, and the paper. Watercolor is hard to control and I am learning that it shouldn’t be controlled. I find it rather calming. You may want to try drawing, crochet, or whatever interests you. And you should be able to find the supplies you need online.

5. Be sure to connect with friends and family regularly.

Since a lot of us won’t be getting out much, an honest to goodness phone chat is a great way to connect. Video chatting is even better. Not texting, not emailing. We are actually going to have to use our phones for what they were made for. Who knew?

6. Escape with your favorite games.

There is nothing wrong with living in a fantasy world for a short time. Or racing cars around a track until you get so dizzy you leave the game to your kids . My favorite mobile games right now are Design Home 3D , where you build a house and furnish and decorate it; and RealMyst , an adventure puzzle video game. We also love to watch Jeopardy together as a family most nights. Try bringing back family game night. This may help keep your family close.

7. Take an online class.

Whether you want to learn a new hobby or brush up on some professional skills, there’s an online class for that. I have a membership to Skillshare.com, where you can learn how to do just about anything from embroidery to computer coding. I love dabbling in graphic design but am a hack at using Adobe Creative Cloud. I plan on taking some Photoshop and Illustrator classes.

8. Start, or more likely, finish a project.

We all have half-started home improvement projects ( if you don’t, try not to gloat). Maybe you need to clean out your craft room . Or your daughter has been begging you to put up her unicorn wall decals. Seeing a project to completion can give a nice sense of satisfaction (so I’ve heard).

9. Try to keep to a schedule ( or start one).

Since I work from home I tend to keep terrible hours and I know it is detrimental to my physical and mental health. I plan on keeping my bedtime and wake time fairly consistent. I also will track these in my handy dandy digital journal.

10. Last but not least, don’t forget to laugh.

I am in no way belittling the sobering facts about the coronavirus outbreak. But finding ways to laugh is always a welcome distraction. Radio comedy shows became very popular during the Great Depression. They were an easy, affordable way for people to escape the reality of their hardships for a while. So give yourself permission to watch “ The 40 Year Old Virgin” for the 87th time. Joke around with your family, or play a hilarious round of “Apples to Apples”.

In conclusion, we may have some tough times ahead. But by trying to stay positive you may find it a little easier to get through the days. I hope that I have given you a few ideas to help keep you upbeat in the coming weeks. What is your favorite way to weather hard times? I would love for you to share in the comments.

Stay happy and healthy,

Xo,

Alisa