How to Lift Your Mood and Stay Positive in The Middle of a Pandemic

Even in the best of times, staying positive can be tough. Especially in the middle of a pandemic. With the news filled up with a rising death toll and the collapse of the economy, keeping a cheery (or even calm) disposition can be a real challenge.

According to Mount Sinai Hospital’s assistant professor of psychiatry Dr. Shannon O’Neill, one of the probable reasons why people are having a hard time maintaining a sense of peace is that they are forced to do things or follow rules that are similar to depression symptoms. Like when everyone was instructed to distance themselves from loved ones.

It may be extra hard for those who are currently battling or have been battling depression. However, you can still lift your mood amid the crisis.

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Staying positive amid the pandemic is seen as a challenge.

Do More of What Makes Your Happy

You may find it hard to remember a day that wasn’t on quarantine, but it’s helpful to think about what made you happy when everything was still normal. Ask yourself what sparked joy within you and do more of it. This may include spending time with your loved ones or working out. If you ‘re not up for it, you can look for new things to do while staying at home.

Remind Yourself of What You’re Grateful For

With a lot of bad news all around the world, it’s a refresher to look for things you are thankful for instead. This is a great way to create a balance between positivity and negativity in your life. You can use apps like Three Good Things where you can jot down three things you’re grateful for. If you’re more old-school, you can jot these down in journals. You don’t have to complicate it and you don’t have to provide all three if you can’t. Just mention three of your most favorite parts of your day instead.

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Keep a grateful journal either online or offline.

Treat Yourself

People who are stuck in quarantine can develop a sense of repetition. They get up and do the same things over and over again, which eventually leads to exhaustion and irritation, especially in the morning. Indulge yourself in something that you usually don’t reward yourself with, so you can find that sense of excitement. A good treat may include a great breakfast recipe to start a new day. You can also opt for some mindful meditation.

Divert Your Extra Energy Toward Creativity

Do something creative using that extra energy of yours. It helps distract you from unnecessary negativity and focuses your attention on a new thing like painting a new masterpiece or making a blog piece. However, don’t make it into a competition and compare your work with other people. It’s all about enjoying yourself and having an outlet for your thoughts and feelings.

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Harness your creativity and focus your attention on it.

Set a Time to Worry

Since you’re going to do it anyways, schedule a specific time when you can entertain all your worries. This might be counterproductive, but it works. However, don’t just pick random times. Set a 20-minute session a day to allow yourself to worry instead of spending an entire day feeling bad about things.