Staying positive and optimistic during a rather strange situation, like a pandemic, can be difficult. Personally, I’ve found myself feeling better certain days and then a little down again the next, and it’s frustrating to try and distinguish how exactly to keep our spirits up during these trying times.
An article from The Good News Network is here to help, though. Titled ‘How to be Happier During COVID: Decades of Science Shows That Gratitude, Love, and Connection Can Save Your Life’ by Andy Corbley, I have a suspicion that this piece of writing is one many of us can resonate with lately, and I wanted to share it with all of you. Take a look.
“In a meta-analysis looking at a half-century of research, scientists found that both the act of smiling and seeing smiles can actually make people happier. Try it right now for yourself.
“In another pilot study, scientists confirmed that altruistic acts—like charitable actions towards neighbors or strangers, altruistic giving, or donating blood—can actually reduce the physical sensations related to pain,” the article explains.
Simply thinking of people we love can help, too. “Scientists from the University of Arizona found in an examination of 102 people that simply thinking about romantic partners reduced symptoms of stress, anxiety, and general feelings of sadness—as much as if the person were actually in the room!” says the article.
Sharing positives with loved ones can help as well, the article states. “If you see something in the mainstream media that gets you down, try just calling a friend and telling them how much they mean to you. Expressing gratitude, either for a person’s presence or a gift, as well as receiving expressions of gratitude, however awkward, was found in a study to be enough to trigger beneficial neurological changes that resulted in better mental health for both the senders and recipients of emails.”
I encourage you to look at the entire article, linked above, to learn how to keep our spirits up during the COVID-19 outbreak. It could really help.
ontheedgeofeverything 