Now, more than ever, it is important to stay positive. We’re surrounded by bad news. The negativity from other people can feel suffocating. Just like most of you, I’m missing my friends. Luckily, living in this time of crisis doesn’t mean we have to be unhealthy or perpetuate the negativity. There are a bunch of things we can do to stay optimistic.
Keep in Touch with Loved Ones
Humans are social creatures. While some people behave as if they need others much less, we all still need each other (at least a little) in order to stay mentally and physically healthy. Consider:
- Having a video-chat game night with your friends.
- Calling a family member on the phone.
- Starting a group chat with your friends.
- Using social media to reach out to others (instead of just scrolling through the newsfeed).
Spend Some Time Away from Social Media and the News
There have been times in these past couple months, where I felt as though the negative energy from the world was getting me down. While it is important to stay informed, you don’t need to sacrifice your mental health to do so. In order to stay sane in all of this craziness, consider some of these tips:
- Limit your time on social media by setting timers on your apps or reminders on your phone.
- Set blockers on your web browsers limit your time on social media and news sites during the day.
- We should be reminded of the good in the world as we’re exposed to scary things. While you’re taking in the news sites, try bringing some “good news” sites in the mix also:
- The Good News Network (https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/)
- The Uplifting News subreddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/UpliftingNews/)
- Positive News (https://www.positive.news/)
- The Optimist Daily (https://www.optimistdaily.com/)
Make Healthy Choices
We’re all stuck at home so it can be easy to make unhealthy decisions. Watching too much TV and gorging on snacks can be tempting. Healthy choices are more important now than ever: eating right, staying active, and enjoying hobbies are things we all need to do in order to make it through this quarantine.