Connect with other to stay happy

With more restrictions affecting our daily lives and concerning news bombarding us every day, it can be difficult to remain in positive spirits. Since the situation will likely last for a while, we spoke to mindset coach Sarah Wheeler, one of our Cohabitas members, to get her advice on how to stay positive.

Sarah tells us that one of the most important points to remember is that “your focus creates your reality”. If we focus on negative news headlines and worst-case scenarios we have not much influence over, it will no doubt affect our mood.

We therefore need to make a conscious effort to re-focus the mind on things we enjoy, projects we look forward to, and things we can personally influence. Easier said than done? Here are some practical tips we can all follow to lift our mood on a daily basis:

1. Consciously focus on things that make you happy

Make a list of all the things you really enjoy. An inspiring book or film, a playlist with your favourite songs, speaking to your best friend, or focusing on a hobby. Take the time to fully immerse yourself in a task. If you enjoy cooking, for example, take the time to select quality ingredients, put some nice music on and savour the experience, without scrolling through social media at the same time or having the TV on in the background. Find something that makes you laugh, perhaps your favourite comedian, as laughter will influence mind and body and has even been shown to help people recover from illness more rapidly.

2. Connect with others

In times when we cannot always meet face to face, ensure you spend time with people who make you feel good, even if that means over the phone or video. Talk about happy memories and make plans for the future that make you feel excited. We rarely ever send letters or postcards these days – perhaps post an old-fashioned letter to a friend, it might make their day and help you stay connected.

3. Do a good deed

One of the ‘tricks’ that can instantly make us feel better is to help others. Whether you are helping a neighbour with grocery shopping, holding the door for someone or giving way to a fellow driver, it will make you feel generous and again more connected to the world around you.

Whether you currently live by yourself or with others, take the time to make plans for the future. Think of your ideal home, who you’d like to live with, what area – and get in touch with people to discuss your ideas. Even if you are not quite there yet, it’s a powerful tool to make you feel good about yourself.

https://coachsarahwheeler.com/