How to Stay Optimistic When Everything Seems Wrong
Keeping a positive mindset is not easy, particularly if you are facing a lot of stress in your life. And with all that coronavirus mess taking place lately, it’s really hard to stay immune to all the psychological challenges of our daily lives.
You are worried about getting sick, but that’s just one of the things you are thinking about at the moment. Spending entire weeks in the quarantine makes you feel bad about everything – people who die because of COVID-19, social issues, economic challenges, etc. Most of all, you start feeling bad about yourself.
People who are quarantined are very likely to develop a wide range of symptoms of psychological stress and disorder, including low mood, insomnia, stress, anxiety, anger, irritability, emotional exhaustion, depression, and post-traumatic stress symptoms. It’s just the way our minds react to stress, so how can you stay optimistic when everything seems wrong?
It depends on your character and problem-solving skills, but almost everyone could use a few practical tips on how to stay positive these days. We prepared for you a list of seven ways to maintain a positive attitude, so keep reading to learn more about it.
Reduce content consumption
The first tip we have for you is to reduce content consumption and avoid reading newspapers or watching TV whenever possible. It is okay to follow official reports and learn what can and cannot be done in the age of COVID-19, but you should not spend so much time anymore reading about the devastating consequences of the virus.
You should concentrate on more beautiful content instead – grab that book you’ve been wanting to read for years or watch your favorite TV show once again. It’s a much better way to spend your time in the quarantine and take your mind off everyday issues.
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Practice self-compassion
Another thing you can do these days is practice self-compassion. Most people are too hard on themselves, which is generally not a bad thing. But times have changed as we are now living in a different environment, so you should try to be self-compassionate.
Jake Gardner, a psychologist at the best essay writing service UK, says it’s perfectly normal to be vulnerable: “Embrace your weaknesses because they come as a logical response to the situation you are going through.”
Face negative emotions
The only way to solve the problem is to face it directly, which means you don’t want to sweep negative feelings under the carpet. Mental conditions such as fear and anxiety are normal in situations like the COVID-19 pandemic, so it would be counterproductive to pretend that the problem doesn’t exist.
What you can do is analyze your current emotions. How does it affect you? Can you get through it alone? What can you learn from it? All these questions are very important, but you have to be honest and face them directly.
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Look for meaning in life
Now that you have enough time for introspection, use it to look for meaning in life. Make a list of people, things, and activities that really make you happy to be alive.
For instance, quarantine helped a lot of people realize that their families are by far the most important thing in their lives. They started enjoying family time and appreciating the fact that they can spend more time with their loved ones.
You should try to do the same thing – search for the true meaning of life and concentrate on what matters the most to you.
Appreciate the small things
Who says you only have to focus on higher goals and causes? It’s quite the contrary as you should also learn to appreciate small satisfactions in your life. Some people love cooking, while others prefer brain games or house renovations.
We encourage you to set daily routines in the quarantine and follow your schedule day after day. You would be surprised to learn how good it feels to drink a cup of coffee early in the morning, feed your dog, or do any other small thing that keeps you away from bad news.
Don’t forget to exercise
It’s easy to forget the benefits of physical training during the global epidemic, but this is the perfect time to exercise and strengthen your body and your mind. Studies show that exercise can treat mild to moderate depression as effectively as antidepressant medication.
If you are allowed to go outside, make sure to take a walk or jog for 30 minutes or so. If you have to stay home, then you can find all sorts of indoor training plans. In each case, physical training will keep you fresh and energized, thus helping you to fend off stress, anxiety, and the overall feeling of hopelessness.
Help others
Everyone believes their problems are most painful, but think about it for a moment and you’ll realize there are so many people who are in a much worse situation than you. Instead of feeling sorry for yourself and others, you should become an active community contributor.
What can you do? If you have an old neighbor, don’t let him/her go outside but rather do it yourself and buy groceries on their behalf. It’s only one simple way to help, but we bet you can find many other ways to engage!
The Bottom Line
No matter how tough or reasonable you might be, it’s almost impossible to avoid the psychological effects of COVID-19. Entire days of isolation make people thinking about all sorts of things, so it’s easy to fall into despair and embrace a negative mindset.
The tips we discussed above could help you to cope with the problem and stay optimistic when everything seems wrong. You should not expect all of them to work for you, but it’s enough to find one solution and stick to it by the end of the quarantine – it will make you a happier and more optimistic person when it matters the most!