“Why your Mindset Matters in the New Normal”

Let’s face it, it’s difficult to stay upbeat and positive in the middle of a pandemic.  The uncertainty of the outcome of this whole thing, when we’ll “flatten the curve”, whether a vaccine is effectively developed, etc., can wear on you—both mentally and physically.  In order to successfully maneuver through this situation, and in the easiest way possible, is to develop and strengthen a positive mindset to cope with it and the “new normal”. 

Tips for Sustaining a Positive Mindset During the Pandemic

The novel Coronavirus has affected the entire world.  All of us have either been confined due to lockdown, are social distancing out of necessity or simply quarantined to attempt to not contract the virus. We are hearing negative headlines all the time either through TV or social media, with misinformation rampant in news outlets and online.  No one know what to believe.  Add to that the political strife our country is going through in an election year, and you have recipe for negativity in all kinds of forms.

Here are some things you can do to counteract this and stay positive:

• Make Time for Yourself.  To maintain your positivity, make sure to take at least a little time for yourself every day to do only those things that you enjoy doing. It may be a hobby, reading, listening to music or watching a favorite movie.  But taking some “me time” is a good way to keep your mental health positive.

• Set Some Goals.  Now is the time to plan what you’ve been putting off regarding goals and things you want to do, be or have.  This is a great opportunity to strengthen your success mindset during the days of isolation and plan for your future.

•   Reach out to Others. Many people are struggling with loneliness, depression, anxiety and a raft of other negative emotions through this.  Reaching out to others not only helps them but will keep your mind occupied and off your own struggles.

• Watch inspirational and motivational videos on YouTube and listen to podcasts.  Feeding your mind continually with this type of content can make a real difference in how you feel and improve your mental health.  I did this for years and then got out of the habit. I picked it up again during the pandemic and it’s made a real difference in my outlook regarding the pandemic, the chaos going on politically as well as my overall outlook on my business, personal goals and life in general. 
• Try a “news fast”.  I learned this from Dr. Andrew Weill a number of years ago.  Basically, it involves limiting the amount of news you watch. The majority of news is negative and sensationalized, as well as fear-based. Networks and cable news outlets are masters at using these methods to keep people tuned and coming back.  They need to do this to keep their advertisers happy.  Start with eliminating one newscast per day and continue cutting down on this to a level that’s comfortable for you. 

• Use your faith.  If you follow a particular religion or have spiritual beliefs, now is a great time to put this into practice. This gives many people comfort in times of upheaval and uncertainty and contribute to staying upbeat and positive in a stressful time.

• Maintain a routine.   Researches have confirmed that maintaining a regular routine can help stress and is also easier on your body.  Your body’s biorhythm will be more balanced if you go to bed and wake up at the same time, eat on a regular schedule and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Taking care of  yourself physically will benefit you mentally and help to maintain a healthy and positive mindset.

Maintaining a positive mindset in a pandemic is a balancing act between taking care of your physical body and maintaining your mental health.  The ideas above may help in staying positive as well as looking to the future for when it’s over and what’s possible for your life.