Dear fellow isolated and anxious ones; Don’t let the coronavirus get you down! We will get through these scary times and more importantly our minds will be stronger. I would like to share with you the best ways to stay positive and combat fear and anxiety during stressful times as these. The key is to stay positive! The best way to consistently do that is to stay away from things that trigger anxiety and shift negative thoughts into positive ones. The news is a huge trigger to anxiety. My advice is to set up a breaking news alert on your phone to avoid watching the same hopeless and depressing reports repeatedly. We are all not only worried for ourselves, loved ones, and humanity from contracting this virus but we are doing this while facing a new reality of being isolated indoors and adjusting our entire lifestyles. Let’s get into the things we can do to stay positive while in isolation. This list is my top favorite things but it’s limitless to basically do what brings you joy and a smile to your face. Which is what we all need right now.

1. Workout

Working out indoors can be fun! It’s also is a great way to stay healthy, not just for your body but it’s also crucial for your mind. You will radiate with positive energy when you exercise. You’ll release endorphins which are “feel good” chemicals. My personal favorite indoor workout is doing a mixture of high knees, side-to-side squats, and jumping jacks while listening to upbeat music.

Jane Gharfeh, Agent
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2. Cook & Baking

​​​​​​​Cooking can be very calming and enjoyable. It will improve your mood and give you a feeling of satisfaction when you see what you made from scratch.

3. Meditate and Pray

​​​​​​​Set up your space with beautiful sights, scents, and sounds. The scent of Cinnamon invigorates feelings of joy as well as the sound of the ocean. Try deep breathing exercises. There are many virtual group meetings that meditate and vocalize positivity with you. Create positive affirmations and mantras for yourself. When you sense your mind going to a negative place turn those thoughts around using your own positive affirmations.

4. Dance & Listen to Music

​​​​​​​Really enjoy yourself while you are home. Listen to some “feel good” vibes, dance, and party like it’s “1999”. This will take you back to a better time and give you hope for a better tomorrow.

5. Board games / virtual board games / online gaming

​​​​​​​Gather your household for game night, log onto a gaming site, or facetime your friends and family for fun gaming. My favorite games are Rummikub and Shoutrageious. You can play at home or download the app and play with others. The competition can get you hyped up like no other.

6. Paint Night en la casa

​​​​​​​Either make it a virtual paint party or enjoy your own paint fun all from the comfort of your couch. Add some sweet wine and you’ve got yourself a wonderful time that will keep you radiating positive energy. Painting can also be a great stress reliever and it’s very relaxing.

7. Reading

​​​​​​​Reading a novel will help keep your mind in balance. You can also achieve a sense of enjoyment when reading a genre that you love. Reading can help you relax, avoid stress, and stay in the best of moods.

8. Movie nights & Fun TV series

​​​​​​​Keep your home life fun and enjoyable and watch a good comedy or anything you love. This will distract you from your worried and our overworking mind. Psychologists also recommend watching something suspenseful which helps release cortisol and dopamine which are stress hormones in the brain and give you feelings of pleasure.

9. Planning

Keep planning and working towards your goals. This may be our current realty but it’s not permanent so it’s important to keep planning for your future.The coronavirus may be impacting our current plans and can be very depressing but there are ways to look at this positively. Avoid the negative mindset and change the narrative in your mind. Instead of saying things such as “I can’t believe I won’t be able to take the spring trip I was waiting for” shift this to Positive – “I am so happy to be healthy and safe indoors”.

10. Cleaning and De-cluttering

​​​​​​​According to Jay Shetty, an amazing motivational speaker, decluttering your space helps declutter the mind. It’s a huge stress reliever when you finally let go of some the excess items in your home. You may not notice it but it carries a big weight. Once things are clean, neat, and tidy you’ll feel a lot lighter and happier. 

11. Stay in-touch and Communicate with the outside world

​​​​​​​Keep in contact with your friends and family regularly. Hearing and seeing someone familiar will help relieve some stress and anxiety. Share your favorite ways to help each other stay motivated and positive. Utilize zoom, facetime, and other communication apps.

12. Self-Care

​​​​​​​Self-care is very important. The best way to relieve stress and keep the mind healthy is to catch up on some much-needed sleep. Self-care also includes exercises for your mind, body, soul, and spirit.

It may seem the days are blending and the world is in disarray right now but if we keep positive and practice self-care of our minds, bodies, and souls we will get through this stronger than ever. Have patience, stay positive, and stay safe!