Staying Positive During a Pandemic

March will be the one year anniversary of California going into lockdown due to COVID-19. It has been a year filled with learning curves as well as days that seemed to never end. We are still in the middle of a pandemic, and we would be lying if we said we didn’t wish we could go out constantly. We miss hugging our loved ones and getting fancy cocktails at our favorite bar at the end of a stressful week. We miss dining indoors at our go-to restaurants and booking flights to new and exciting places.

We miss it all terribly, as we know everyone does as well. While we are all still required to stay at home, we have been trying to make the most of the circumstances. In order to embrace 2021, we have been trying to integrate positive moments into our day-to-day lives, and we wanted to share a few of those coping mechanisms with anyone who may be struggling right now.

We understand that this period of staying at home is not normal, and as human beings we are not meant to be inside at all hours of the day. Nevertheless, we must do what we can to ensure that ourselves and others are staying safe. Listed below are a few ways we have been staying positive during the pandemic and how we battle particularly bad days.

Writing Down Gratitude Lists Every Morning

The first thing we do when we wake up is to grab our journal and write down what we are most thankful for. Sometimes the list is extensive, and other times it is difficult to pinpoint exactly what we are joyful about. Either way, it get’s us ready for the day ahead and fills our minds with gratitude and thankfulness. We have also seen that it is a much more positive start to the day rather than sitting in bed, scrolling through our social feeds. Instead of filling our minds with online validation and affirmation, we focus on what is in front of us in the present moment.

Romanticizing the Little Moments

What does it mean to romanticize your life? For us, it is about taking the day-to-day tasks and creating something beautiful out of them. This could be buying yourself flowers during a routine grocery trip, taking longer walks during golden hour, or taking an extra moment in the morning to enjoy a cup of coffee. Whatever it may be, adding significance to the little moments in your routine will help you realize that life is special and that holding these moments close to your heart is important.

Checking in on Friends and Family Members

Calling friends and family members that we have not seen in months have been helping boost our serotonin levels greatly. Whenever we are feeling down or lonely, a quick phone call to a loved one can change the entire mood for the day and we’re here for it. Hearing our friends voices over the phone or watching members of our family cook over FaceTime has brought us a new sense of connection and the realization that our loved ones are just a call away.

We understand that this pandemic has been extremely hard on so many, and sometimes staying positive is easier said than done. We encourage you to embrace the bad days as much as you do the good ones, though, and allow yourself to feel any and all emotions that come your way. 2020 was a trying year for sure, but we are hopeful for the future.