3 ways to develop the type of positive mindset that’ll help you thrive during this pandemic – By Eileen Carey
Positivity is
like an immune system that fights against fear, anxiety, and negativity.
And while a certain other virus has so many people feeling these things in the
absolute worst way, I keep feeling this urge to share the positivity I have
with anyone who needs it.
Here’s
why.
I genuinely
believe that the people who live the happiest lives actively seek out the good
in every situation. No matter how bad things are, they are able to extract
something positive.
These people usually end up doing something wonderful like
this: my neighbor recently hung a bag of lemons from his tree and put a
sandwich bag of sugar on all the neighbor’s door knobs with a note reminding
everyone of the old adage “When life gives you lemons, make
lemonade.”
I absolutely
loved seeing that. It showed me an approach to life that I think
we all should have. Especially nowadays.
To be fair, I
can’t say that I always have this mindset. But I sure as heck try. Like I said
earlier, I want to help others experience a life lived positively.
Here’s the
thing about positivity, though. It doesn’t just happen.
Unlike
negativity, which can fester within us with us doing absolutely nothing at all,
positivity grows only when we take specific actions to develop it.
On that note,
here are 3 ways to develop the type of positive mindset that’ll help you thrive
during the current pandemic.
1.
Stay busy. It’s good for your body and your mind. Negativity
tends to build when we remain stagnant. That’s why it’s super important in times like these to stay
busy. And by busy, I don’t mean busy just for the sake of it. I mean being busy
for the purpose of being productive.
Case in point:
I’ve been doing an extended version of our annual spring cleaning because, well, why not? It’s not as if any of
us ever run out of spots to clean, right?
This is also an
excellent opportunity to do that decluttering you’ve been wanting to do.
If now isn’t a good time for it, you’re probably never going to get
it done.
Another way
I’ve been staying busy is with food. Someone in my house is always
cooking, researching new recipes, or growing something in the
garden.
We’re always
trying new dishes. Sometimes they’re good, sometimes not so much. If
for every three new recipes we try we like one of them, well, that’s not too
shabby.
I’m fortunate
to live somewhere where the weather is nice most of the time. I’m absolutely
soaking up the spring sunshine during this hiatus from social gatherings.
After all,
we’re supposed to avoid people, not nature.
Every day
includes at least one walk. Getting outdoors is inherently good for the soul,
and it feels like the most natural place to be when we have to be isolated
from other people.
Exercise is
another highly beneficial way to stay busy.
I have been
maintaining my kick-boxing workouts with my trainer on Skype. It’s just one
more example of making technology work for me.
It’s also a
much healthier way to use modern technology than sitting on my behind and
watching movies or browsing the internet all day.
2. Be creative. It does wonders for
your soul.
For us
naturally creative folks, our creativity can sometimes feel like a faucet that somebody
else turns on and off whenever they want. Much of our inspiration seems to come
when it wants, not when we want.
But this is a
time when we need to try to make it happen. We need to grab that guitar, or
that paintbrush, or that pencil and paper, and create.
It’s proven
that the mere act of trying to create something does wonders for our mind and
our soul. It can be calming, insightful, and purifying in ways that few other
things can be.
If you are a
creative person, I hope you recognize that you have a golden opportunity
nowadays to create.
You may never
again have this much time to sit and express yourself in the comfort of your
own home.
Think about all
those times you wanted to finish that promising new song, drawing, or story you
started, but you couldn’t because you had to be somewhere else at a certain
time.
Well, if you’re
like me, nowadays there are very few places you have to be at any time.
Use this time
to flesh out all those promising ideas. Or just work on your craft. Write.
Listen. Look. Do whatever it takes to get your creative engine running.
One of the most
exciting benefits of creativity is its ability to transport you to another
place. Sometimes another time.
I love when I’m
so involved in a new song that the hours fly by. It feels as though I’m
temporarily on another planet.
In the midst of
a pandemic, that feeling can be a welcome one.
Thanks to the
technology we often take for granted when things are normal, I’ve been able to
communicate with my producer Travis Allen on a regular basis.
That’s allowed
me to continue creating a blueprint of the new music we’ll record once
musicians and producers are allowed to be in the same room.
You can also use your creativity for more practical reasons.
I’m thrilled to see how some parents have come up with new and exciting ways to
teach their children during this hiatus from school.
Create activities that will keep your kids engaged and
intrigued. Even if you have never done so before, use your creative impulses
to guide their education.
Build the type of lessons your kids will never
forget. There are a million ways to express your creativity. And now you’ve got the
time to do it, so make it happen.
3. Embrace this opportunity to connect
with the people you care for. You may
never again have their attention like this.
The thing that brings me the most
positivity is connecting with the people I care for. I’m well aware that I may
never get an opportunity like this again. I’ve gotten to know them in ways I
could never have imagined.
We’ve
laughed.
We’ve
cried.
We’ve danced.
We’ve driven
each other crazy.
We’ve been
catching up in ways both big and small.
From watching
movies together to hashing out unfamiliar recipes in the kitchen, we’ve consciously
decided to be fully with each other while having to be together.
What I mean by
that is there’s a difference between being stuck in the same house with
someone and making sure you spend quality time with them.
Get to know the
folks you’re with. Listen. Learn. Love.
And by the way,
there’s no set way to do this.
Sometimes I
enjoy my family’s company without saying a word, like during one of the
countless movies we’ve watched together.
Other times,
it’s a gab parade, and we just cannot shut up.
Either way,
it’s all about appreciating each other’s presence. It’s about actually doing
something about the fact that we will never have these moments again.
It might not
seem like it, but someday things will return to normal. I know we all long for
that time, but I want to encourage you to fully embrace this moment and the
people with whom you’re sharing it.
The best way to
do that is to take on a positive mindset.
Let the
positivity coarse through your veins.
Let it fill
your mind.
Let it lift
your soul.
You’re alive,
and with the people you love. All the time.
In the end,
what else could you ever ask for?
