Creating Happiness in Pandemic Times

No matter how we have been handling the disruption of our lives given the pandemic, one thing is very clear--if we don't focus on what we really want, then negative thoughts, changing demands, shifting expectations, news, election news, covid news will take over. This is not ok. We cannot have the stressors that come from OUTSIDE ourselves dictate how we will handle things INSIDE ourselves and INSIDE our own personal "silos" -- our homes.  

To add to the pressures that come from all of this extra coping and trying to get through, most of us are spending more time than ever before living inside our own heads.  We are rehearsing, reviewing, rehashing those 70,000 thoughts from yesterday that are looped into today.  The mind is working its wonders constantly, making leaps every eight seconds to the next thought which is on repeat.  This is very tiring.

For safety's sake, we are also spending less time interacting with new people, new places and therefore we are not having novel experiences that make life feel more interesting. This is demoralizing and a little depressing.  It is also not keeping us mentally sharp.  When we have new experiences like going on a trip or interacting with a foreign culture or meeting someone new at a party, we have to rethink how we see the world and ourselves in the world.  That's a good thing.  It's not all about YOU all the time anyway.

For these reasons, I challenge you to make your happiness part of your COV ID COPING STRATEGY.  Find something that makes you happy for ten minutes every day.  If it lasts a lot longer, so be it.  If you say that you love sitting on your porch reading, by all means, read as long as you can.  If you like dancing to music, then get up and shake it.  If you like meditating outside at sunrise, then set the alarm.  

By making your personal happiness a HIGH PRIORITY every single day for at least ten minutes, you are getting a ten minute break from the dystopian covid coaster.  You are improving your healthiness, and you are taking charge of your body, mind and spirit.  Try it, and then let me know what worked the best for you.  You are worth the effort.