Being in a global pandemic doesn’t encourage positive emotions.
Stress depletes us. Our bodies, minds, and spirits crave homeostasis—internal balance, equilibrium, harmony. We can’t feel good unless we feel safe and stable. And even though we can’t control the outside world, we can do several things to control our inner world.
I was like most people—scanning social media regularly, watching the news for updates on the virus, eating for comfort, and watching funny movies to drown out the negativity. I knew a better way, so I changed my approach. Here is what I know.
Most people derive greater happiness, satisfaction, and growth from active-engagement activities rather than passive ones. Active-engagement occurs when we are interacting with something, getting feedback, and growing our knowledge or skills. Passive-engagement means that we are spectators, like when we watch a television show or sports. Passive activities are primarily used for entertainment purposes.
Here are some ways to 1) feel good; 2) gain a sense of control and restore homeostasis; and 3) healthily develop your mind, body, and spirit. Use the ones that speak to you; disregard those that don’t.
1) Eat well: Especially at a time when you are all trying to keep your immune system strong, you must eat healthily. Colorful fruits and vegetables are antioxidant powerhouses that keep your body clean and robust. Beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, and herbs are also excellent sources of vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Stay away from things like saturated fat, salt, highly-processed products, and ingredients that sound like chemicals. If you can’t pronounce it, you probably shouldn’t eat it. These steps will charge up your immune system and help you to feel energized in the process.
2) Exercise: Do anything physically engaging that is enjoyable—walking, cleaning, dancing, sex, yoga, strength-training, riding a bike, etc. If it is not at least somewhat enjoyable, you will not continue to do it. Start slow and build up gradually so that you keep wanting to do it. You’ll be less likely to injure yourself, too, when you take a slower approach. Love your body. Work with it, not against it.
Sedentary lifestyles kill. If you sit at a desk for work or other tasks, consider getting a standing desk. It doesn’t necessarily qualify as exercise, but you will burn more calories, build a bit of muscle, and will keep your mind more alert while doing your tasks. One caveat: Invest in a good quality cushion to stand on or wear supportive shoes to prevent leg strain.
Exercise strengthens and energizes your body, produces chemicals in your brain to ward off depression and anxiety, and lifts your spirits as you practice self-care. Consider taking a stroll out in nature to soak up some healing sun, fresh air, and images of mother nature’s budding spring show.
3) Meditate: In today’s world, everyone needs a little help in calming our minds and gaining focus. Meditation is essential to peace and contentment. All the noise and chaos around you can clutter our mind, create confusion, induce stress, and negatively impact your mood. Meditation helps to transform your reactive monkey-mind to a responsive ally. Results may not happen immediately. With practice, it can help you sleep better, feel calmer, work effectively, and engage with others constructively.
Here are a couple of guided meditations from my website. You can download them for free here. If my meditations are not your speed, try other techniques until you find some that work for you.
4) Music: Use music to induce any type of mood you desire. If you are feeling low, turn on some upbeat tunes and allow yourself to be transported to an entirely new attitude.
Create playlists to inspire positive emotions. Include songs that generate excitement, positivity, motivation, peacefulness, sleepiness, or whatever you choose. Update them from time to time to keep it fresh and engaging.
5) Spend time with others, in person or virtually. If you want to feel good, be around the types of people who lift your spirits and avoid those who drag you down. Emotions are contagious. Science has proven it (read about it here). I don’t know about you, but I’d rather catch a good case of joy and laughter way more than the crankies.
Spending time with beloved pets is also healthy. If you don’t own an animal and are stuck at home to avoid COVID19, this would be a great time to adopt. You could spend some quality time training and bonding with your new fur baby. There is evidence that animals can improve your physical and mental health (see article here), as long as you find the right animal for you and your lifestyle.
6) Spend time alone doing something peaceful or enjoyable. Take a bath with soothing essential oils, drink tea mindfully, walk in nature, journal, or whatever you like to do. Even it is just 30 minutes of doing nothing at all, do it by yourself and for yourself.
Daily life can be distracting. As you unplug from other people and the noisy world, you get back in touch with yourself. These decompression sessions can be highly therapeutic.
7) Do something creative. Paint a picture, make a new recipe, write a story or poem, decorate your home, create a rock garden, update your goals list, try a new hairstyle, or whatever you want to do.
Our brains love being creative. It makes us feel alive, vibrant, free. You don’t have to be an expert at your craft; just have fun with it.
8) Avoid things that make you feel bad. My mother always told me never to finish a bad book, which is a metaphor for a lot of things. It’s saying not to invest in things that are not enjoyable. You have a choice about what you do and how you do it. Make sure you are spending your valuable resources—things like time, energy, and money—on things that lift you rather than drag you down.
9) Read things that delight or help to grow you in some way. Reading transports your mind to new worlds without having to travel. Learning about different perspectives can’t help but expand your own.
10) Plant an indoor or outdoor garden. Not only will it get you moving and connect you with nature, but it will also provide you with food in its most natural and healthy state. Plus, fresh tastes best!
11) Grow your awareness of what makes you feel good and what makes you feel bad. Keep a log of your findings.
Think about the situations in your life that evoked positive emotions. Some of them were exciting peak moments, and some were everyday instances of joy, peace, fun, and inspiration. Keep a log of these, providing a brief description of the event and how you felt. Notice, savor, and feel grateful for every type of experience that felt good. It will attune you to opportunities to feel good in your daily life.
No need to keep a list of the bad times. Instead, when you feel bad, remember times that you felt good; then channel that energy into your present moment. Sometimes, life can stink, and we have to deal with challenging things that fall on our path. However, knowing what helps us feel good encourages us toward a constructive path as soon as we are able.
Here’s the thing: If you want to feel good, you must work actively toward it. By making intentional decisions, you can inch yourself closer to happiness and healthiness—in mind, body, and spirit—daily. Choosing to engage rather than passively tagging along will show you that, despite the chaos of the world, you can survive and thrive.
I hope you discover new ways to feel good in your daily life!