We may be walking through stormy weather now, but it is important to know that the rainbow will rise eventually… Life hasn’t been a careless walk in the park. We’ve all had our ups and downs, our ray of light and thunderstruck. But this is something we have never experienced before… Yet, we are in this together! The whole world is challenged…
It’s up to you if you choose to see the glass half empty or half full. However, these are times that require us to stay calm and optimistic. If we can, let’s inspire and empower others too!
You will need that level of excitement in your life right now! Start a blog, a new business, write a novel, create a vlog, cook one recipe every day, create a song or write a script – whatever you choose to do will become a healthy habit that will help you get through this with more ease.
Staying positive now is one of the most important ingredients! We will overcome this only if we stand together and if we find the power in ourselves to rise above all and shine like we used to, even from the comfort of our homes.
How to stay positive? Here are a couple of things that I currently do and that help me keep alive my creative flame, inspiration and that lovely smile! 🙂 When is the last time since you genuinely smiled or even laughed?
1. Laugh With All Your Heart
Laughter is the best medicine, we all know this 🙂 But did you know it actually improves your immune system? It’s definitely good for your mental health and overall state of mind to have a good laugh, but it actually goes beyond that. Laughter protects you from stress, as it decreases the stress hormones and increases all the immune cells, making you more resistant to any disease.
It also increases the flow of blood and protects your heart. Laughter must be part of any diet, as it helps you burn calories. It also triggers endorphins, making you feel so good, both physically and mentally. Laughter can actually help you live longer, as a study from Norway proved. People with a great sense of humor outlived the ones who were more pessimistic or had a very serious approach towards life.
2. Enjoy The Simple Things
You have to admit that we were in a continuous marathon in the last years. Running, running, always running… We were always busy and never had enough time to spend with ourselves and to enjoy all the simple things. Now is the right time to do this!
Now is the time to reconsider everything and rediscover your lost passion. It’s there! You had it! Try to remember when you lost it or why didn’t you pursue it?
Enjoy a good rest and make the best out of your mornings. Enjoy that ray of light that slips inside your bed, the smell of Spring and of fresh coffee.
Enjoy that great book that you bought last year and never had time to finish. Enjoy the old film that you missed at the vintage cinema downtown. Enjoy the time spent with the best friend you will ever have: YOU!
Life is short, we know that and I believe we are more aware of this right now. There is no time to waste on things that are not so important.
3. Be Grateful
Use this time wisely and don’t see it as just a very long lazy Sunday! After all, it’s YOUR TIME so no matter where you are and no matter the conditions, you must make the best out of it!
Quarantine is not the same for everyone. Some of us are very lucky, we are spoiled… Staying inside with all the food that you want, with internet access, Netflix and the possibility to do whatever you want? How can anyone complain about this, when there are people who don’t even have a rooftop over their heads? There are people who don’t have money to pay for their next meal, so please appreciate what you have!
4. Listen To Uplifting Music
Music is a huge part of my life. I breathe music and sounds. It has the magical power to change my mood in less than 20 seconds. No matter how sad I am, if I listen to one happy song, I smile before the chorus.
Music has the power to make you travel. You can travel through time, you can travel the world and in other dimensions. It opens up the door to your fantasy and it helps me create. Music is the universal language, it transcends words and logics and it goes right to our core. It tackles our most complex emotions and it goes hand in hand with dance… 🙂
Dance. Move. Stretch your body and let if flow. You will feel so much better after this, happier! These will help you tremendously during these times and will help you maintain your balance.
5. Create & Inspire
You have the opportunity to educate yourself, to let yourself inspired by others and also to create. You have the freedom and the tools to write, create videos, paint, invent things, build, do whatever you want!
Even if the four walls are the limit, the true freedom lies in yourself and in your mind. Many people have already created a lockdown years before this. They have set up limits and borders, so no matter the freedom offered to them, they will be prisoners of themselves. Don’t be that person! Release yourself from that and start creating! You have no reasons now to not accomplish what you have started…
Go back in time! Go back to your school years if that’s necessary. Find that genuine inspiration that you had back then, when adult life was not a threat in any way, when bills didn’t count… when you had a dream and the passion.
6. Rediscover The Lost Passion
If you are lucky enough to do what you love and get paid for it, then everything is wonderful! But if you are stuck in a job that doesn’t offer you that fulfillment and profound satisfaction, maybe now is the time to reconsider everything and rediscover your lost passion. It’s there! You had it! Try to remember when you lost it or why didn’t you pursue it?
Life is short, we know that and I believe we are more aware of this right now. There is no time to waste on things that are not so important. For what? Just a paycheck? If you do what you love, you will work ten times more for that and you will not feel that it is “work”. When you put in this amount of work, money will eventually come because you will become so good at what you are doing!
Take this time off to find out what you really want to do next!
Even if the four walls are the limit, the true freedom lies in yourself and in your mind.
7. Engage in New Projects
New projects will always keep you motivated, determined and excited! This is what you need nowadays! You don’t need to wait for new projects to show up. You can create your own projects. No matter if you engage in a worldwide challenge or you give yourself a challenge, you will need that level of excitement in your life right now!
Start a blog, a new business, write a novel, create a vlog, cook one recipe every day, create a song or write a script – whatever you choose to do will become a healthy habit that will help you get through this with more ease. Plus, you may discover a hidden talent or you may create a big following base that will help you launch a business next year! Who knows? The possibilities are endless!
I feel that profound solidarity and unity! We are in this together and that amount of love that is flowing right now is more powerful and more contagious than any virus! This energy lifts me up and it fuels my engine, proving me over and over that It is worth it!
8. Connect. Virtually, yes 🙂
We are in this together, so now is the time to get in touch with old friends. Ask them how they are and how they are dealing with this. Remember the good times and laugh about those funny stories. Encourage the people around you and have fun together! Do silly things, support one another!
Connect with people who share your passions or are in the same work field – you never know what opportunities might show up in the near future. Be aware that this shall pass, so making plans and thinking about the future is essential! Don’t let the quarantine change too much your current way of thinking and your plans. Consider your plans “on hold” at the moment, that’s it! Just a break and then we will go back to normal!
9. Increase Your Immunity
A strong and healthy organism will not only make you feel better and positive but will also reduce your chances of catching the virus or developing any critical condition because of it.
Work out as much as you can. If you have a treadmill than you are very lucky, if not there are tons of videos online that you can use for workouts. Take vitamin C, eat lots of fresh vegetables, lemons and kiwi, eggs, cheese, cereals and honey. All these will help you stay healthy and also will boost your overall state of mind!
10. Be Kinder & Share The Love
People are kinder, haven’t you noticed this? I found myself chatting with old friends, new friends and so many people all over the world that go through the same things. I feel that profound solidarity and unity! We are in this together and that amount of love that is flowing right now is more powerful and more contagious than any virus! This energy lifts me up and it fuels my engine, proving me over and over that It is worth it! Every little thing that you do guided by a positive thought and the wish of doing good in the world, of genuinely helping someone and being kind without waiting for anything in return – heals the world! I truly believe this! Share the love and it will come right back at you! More powerful and stronger 🙂
BONUS
Filter the information that you receive on a daily basis. If you watch news 24 hours every single day, you will definitely panic and feel depressed after some time. Information may nurture or harm you. If you spend too much time on social media, you may be reading lots of fake news too and the opinion of every single person in your list and more.
Choose one or two reliable sources that you can read or watch two times per day maximum and then carry on with you plan 🙂 Protect yourself from all the fear and frustration of others and build or create something greatly during this time!
Shakespeare wrote three of his masterpieces while in quarantine and Isaac Newton studied gravity, developed calculus and analyzed light and color, while in quarantine during the Great Plague of London in 1665. Of course, they didn’t have social media and were not bombarded with so many opinions and news every single day…
Photography by Daria Shevtsova
