How to Stay Positive During Lockdown

Let’s face it. When the latest lockdown order went into effect, it was super demotivating. 

During difficult times it’s easy to feel down about, well, just about everything. No need to fret over what can’t be controlled. Living a happier life is still on the horizon for you, even while cooped up at home. 

We’ve got a few tips on how to go about keeping a positive mindset, so you can keep moving forward even while you’re stuck in the house.
 

How to Stay Positive During Difficult Times

Lockdown gives us an opportunity to get to know which habits work in our lives, and which do not. Negative people tend to feel worse because they’ve overlooked the good things life has to offer. Without the right outlook, a negative situation can feel impossible to navigate. Establishing a daily routine that focuses on what makes you feel good is the key to letting positivity into your life during lockdown.

1) Start your day on an uplifting note

The morning is a great time to get your day moving in a positive direction. An easy way to set the tone for your day is by turning on some music (bonus points if you can play it yourself)! When you’re listening to uplifting tunes, or songs that help you think of happier times, your mood will reflect positively.
 

2) Practise gratitude

Once you’ve got your favorite music going, take a moment to reflect on the things that you’re grateful for. When we practise gratitude, it becomes more natural to notice the good things happening around you all the time. We’re especially grateful for the brilliant days when the sun actually decides to make an appearance.
 

3) Keep things close that make you smile

Living a happier life is a whole lot easier when we can see the things that make us feel happy. Looking at the pages of a gratitude journal and keeping it updated will give you plenty of reasons to smile each day. Research shows that the physical act of smiling actually affects our mood in a positive way, too. Whether it’s a genuine grin or not, just lifting the corners of your mouth can change your mood for the better.
 

4) Identify your goals

Another way to put a positive frame around your day is by writing a list of goals you’d like to achieve. Keeping reminders close at hand of our goals, big or little, helps take a mental load off of all the things we should remember. Planning milestones to work towards will help to keep motivation high during lockdown, even if we move a few to-dos to the next day. 

5) Be open to every emotion

Staying positive during difficult times is no small task. Bad situations have their way of bogging us down, and that’s okay. Remember to stay true to your emotions. If you find yourself with a nagging negative thought, acknowledge it. Positive people embrace their mental health whether it’s good, bad, or ugly. 

Humans aren’t meant to be positive all the time. In the tough moments, find your comfort zone and get cozy. 
 

6) Get your body moving

When you’re ready to get moving, remind yourself that a healthy body makes for a healthy mind. Dancing with strangers in person isn’t an option at the moment, but dancing with them virtually can be just as fun and great exercise, too! Take a break from working at home and get moving by joining an Instagram Live dance party.
 

7) Embrace a hobby

If dancing isn’t your cup of tea, try to find something new that really interests you. Now is a great time to discover a new hobby, or pick up an old one. Delving into new techniques and making time in your routine to give yourself something to focus on is stimulating for the brain, and a great way to improve your life. 

When we’re focused on one thing, it calms the mind and keeps us in the present moment, where we can really appreciate life. There’s no room to worry about the news when you’re focusing on hitting that next chord on your guitar or remembering to breathe in down dog. 
 

8) Explore your work from home options

Working from home has become the norm in today’s society, so finding a healthy work/life balance might look a bit different for you these days. The good news is that there’s plenty of ways to make money from home. If you’ve got an extra room in your home, you could rent your space with Stashbee! Or if you have an empty parking spot, why not turn it into a gold mine? Hosting storage or parking space is a safe way to make money during lockdown, and we’ve worked hard to make sure it’s easy for you to do.