Practice Gratitude – When times are tough, this can be difficult, but also grounding. Appreciating the simple moments of joy or goodness in our lives can build positive emotions & boost your immune system. Expressing gratitude can even have lasting, positive effects on your mental health.
Commit to physical health – Mental & physical health are linked, so getting enough sleep and engaging in some form of exercise (walk around the block or dance to your favorite music!) can improve your mood and well being. Setting a realistic goal of getting to bed earlier and a 15 minute walk or YouTube workout will get you started, while experiencing the benefits will keep you committed.
Take a break from social media – With limited in person socialization, many are turning to social media to stay connected. While social media may be a good way to keep in touch with others, it can also have negative effects when overused. We all know that peoples’ posts regularly reflect unrealistic ‘perfect’ lives, yet it can make us feel sad or anxious that our life doesn’t measure up. Take the time you spend on social media and invest it in real conversations and experiences with others. You will feel much more fulfilled having a FaceTime call with a friend or spending quality time with family than hours of scrolling photos of others’ lives.
Be kind to yourself – Take care of yourself and take personal time out just for you to do something you love, whether that is enjoying a hot bath or doing a new creative project. When you invest in yourself, you will begin to feel renewed and have more energy. Being kind to yourself also includes not being hard on yourself and positive self talk. You are human and make mistakes. You wouldn’t act or talk negatively to a friend, so why do it to yourself?
Stay mindful and in the moment – We are used to being busy, so sometimes the lack of that during the pandemic can be uncomfortable and unfamiliar. Slowing down can remind us to live in the here and now, allowing us to notice beauty in things we didn’t see before. It can be as simple as watching your pet play or looking at a view for a few minutes that can bring you into the present moment again.
thank you for this useful article
This is awesome, great ideas! Another is a daily or weekly random act of kindness.