Living with optimism during Covid-19

Finding the Three Quarters Full

This website was founded on the idea of finding the little extra joys in life. Lots of people think about things being half empty or half full. I believe we can live three quarters full and filled with optimism. This Covid-19 pandemic has admittedly rocked my world a bit, but as I struggled to get past the anxiety and stress, I found several ways to look on the brighter side of things and cherish all we really ever have….this very moment.

Five ways to boost optimism during Covid-19

• Begin with quiet
• Connect with others
• Do something kind
• Practice gratitude
• Go outside

Begin with quiet

I don’t know about you, but I feel like noise is the first thing which intrudes on my world each day. Before the pandemic, I began my days earlier than the rest of the house. I still do this. For me that extra hour of quiet is a good way to take some time to read my Bible, pray and just center myself for the day. In fact, the quiet seems to be contagious. My husband and son are not turning on the TV the moment they walk into the room. Twenty-four hour news is just not helpful for us right now. If I feel the stress ramping up, I will return to the quiet of the morning, if only for a few minutes. It helps.

Connect with others

As an introvert, I am not great at this. I find myself a bit more adaptable to the quiet life at home. However, connecting with family and friends is good medicine right now. Use technology to help. I have several text groups I check in with each day. Facebook groups are a fun way to keep up with those who are on multiple schedules. We now have a “Movie of the Week” which we all watch, rank and comment about during the week. And for those of you like me who never used Zoom before this pandemic….it’s a great way to have entire groups “meet” virtually. It is so tempting to just pull into our own little world at home. Connecting with others is such a great way to lift our spirits every day.

Do something kind

Nice actions make you feel better. If there is one thing that will cheer me up quickly, it’s doing something kind for someone. This doesn’t have to cost a lot of money or take up a lot of time. Think about someone you have spoken to in a while and give them a call. Give some encouragement and appreciation to those who are helping us all during this pandemic. This could be verbal in the check out line or it could be a “thank you” sign hung up for delivery people. My husband love giving extra money in tips. Whatever it is, just think of a way to be kind to someone today.

Practice gratitude

It is very hard to see things positively if you are focusing on the negatives. The very simple act of finding something to be grateful for is remarkably good for my attitude. I try to list 3 things I am thankful for each day. In this time of Covid-19, there are some days when I feel like I’m scraping the bottom of the barrel. There’s no need to wax poetic (unless you want to). I just make a quick list in my bullet journal. But there is something about the act of searching my mind for the good stuff that impacts my mood all day long. Gratitude increases optimism even in the midst of Covid-19.

Go outside

One of the best remedies if I am having a bad day is to get outside. That can be anything from a walk in the neighborhood to sitting on the back porch. If I’m more ambitious, doing a little work in the yard or washing the car helps. I was raised in the era when no matter what my grandmother said we had to play outside every day. Grammy was onto something. Now I know studies show sunlight and fresh air can increase our health in many ways. It is worth putting some outdoor time in your day.

You can change your mindset

If there’s one thing I have learned in my 53 years, it’s that sometimes the only thing I can change is my mindset. These 5 remedies are my go-to’s when the going gets tough. This Covid-19 crisis has certainly challenged all of us. There are good days and bad days. But no matter how I am feeling, I try to get these 5 things in each day to boost my optimism during Covid-19. Try it. It might just work for you, too.