5 Habits — To Keep Your Life Positive
By: Harley Nguyen
Tags: Positive Thinking, Covid 19, Lifestyle

2021 could be a tough year of the Covid-19 pandemic, taking all over the world. It comes with lockdown, illness and the risk of food shortages.

One of my relatives in Europe keep reminding me to take care of my mental health during the long lockdown period in my country, while she’s dealing with some depressions because of the same reason.

Even though things seem to be getting more serious, we all have to get through it most strongly and positively.

(You Smile You Shine/status list.in)

In this article, I’m going to help you with the first five habits you should have to make your life more worth living, even you’re in lockdown or just simply being in the dire state of your life. And I hope this help.

#1 Keep going with your healthy hobbies

(Talking about your hobbies/tiengviet24h.com/)

A hobby a day keeps the doldrums away — Phyllis McGinley

Of course, that’s it.

Hobbies are always the things that can make you feel so well in any situation. Some people do their hobbies regardless of their spare time; it helps them use their time more productively and minimize stress.

You don’t need to be a psychologist to know that boredom can turns into negative thoughts. Sometimes, it can also push you into a deep depression.

According to CBSNews.com, being a couch potato is the number one trap that causes depressions.

Try to make yourself work with some healthy hobbies such as exercising, writing, singing, coding, or simply surfing the web and looking for online courses that can help your brain work way smoother, expanding your horizons by researching things outside of your bits of knowledge; It’s a challenge for you and can help you see this world in more abundance.

Until your life is full of new things, you won’t have time to think negatively anymore.

#2 Renewing your music playlists

Of course, people have the right to listen to any music they like. But sometimes, a sad song can affect our mood a lot.

(Gloomy Sunday Sheet music in Hungarian)

Imaging, on a sad Sunday morning, you’ve just broken up with your loved one, then you hear the spooky melodies come with the dark lyrics of Gloomy Sunday (the Hungarian Suicide Song):

Gloomy is Sunday, with shadows I spend it all

My heart and I have decided to end it all

Soon there’ll be candles and prayers that are sad, I know

Let them not weep, let them know that I’m glad to go

— Gloomy Sunday by Rezso Seress

Then how would you feel after that?

If music didn’t affect your mood much, people wouldn’t claim that Gloomy Sunday is the cause of suicides. According to Wikipedia, a recurring urban legend claims that many people have committed suicide while listening to this song, particularly Hungarians.

So, why shouldn’t you add the “ Happy” song by Pharrel William to your playlist and delete all the gloomy songs that make your mood even worse?

#3 Try to stay away from hateful media posts

(viterbischool.usc.edu)

Nowadays, using Social Media is becoming a routine. After waking up in the morning, the first thing to do is definitely check up all your Social Media accounts to see if some hot news had come during your sleep.

Don’t tell me it’s not you! I know most modern people are doing the same thing to start their day.

The good news can brighten your day. On the contrary, some bad news or hateful media posts can also upset you the whole day. I’ve seen many of my female friends suddenly get angry with their husbands because of some social media videos about men’s infidelity.

Do you know why annoying TV commercials keep playing over again and again? Based on what I learned in university about Marketing theories, most companies don’t try to convince you that their products are the best; they consciously repeat their commercials to catch your attention little by little day by day, even when it can annoy you, but at least the name of the brand is stick to your brain automatically. And that could be how hateful posts on Social Media affect you! There could be a day when hateful thoughts are all over your head then causes you depressions, but you aren’t even aware of where it came from.

Then, do you want to be a person who’s always full of doubts and hateful? Guess you don’t—time to detox your new feed and detox your mind.

#4 Adopting a pet

(A dog and cat snuggle together. Auscape/Getty Images)

There could be nothing for me to tell more about the benefits of having a pet. Many studies and articles have proved that a pet can: improving your mood by increasing the level of oxytocin, also known as the “love hormone.”, making you a better person by teaching you how to nurture something, helping you out of your loneliness by their loyalty, and by their protective instincts, it also can make you feel more secure about your life.

If you’re living all alone, why not adopting a cute pet to be your friend?

#5 Get rid of burdens

(Up in the Air scene)

Have you watched the comedy-drama film Up in the Air directed by Jason Reitman yet?

This film comedy describes Ryan Bingham(George Clooney); he works for a human resource consultancy. His job requires him to travel around the country frequently. Ryan also gives inspirational speeches, using the analogy, “ What’s in your backpack?”

Yes! I also want to ask you the same question “ What’s in your backpack?”. A successful man once told me:

Whenever you want to fly to the moon, make sure that you leave all the things on the ground behind — Said my former boss

You might not need to fly that far, but do you know that you’re putting too many things in your backpack: anxiety, insecurities, jealousy, low self-esteem problems, hatred, etc.…?

By holding on to a person who never loves you, you put misery, thoughts, and unnecessary jealousy in your backpack.

By comparing yourself with other people, you put some low-esteem problems and insecurities in the same bag.

By being in your selfish thoughts, you add hatred that makes your backpack heavier.

And by many unnecessary thinkings like those, you’re the one who brings the burdens to yourself; that’s definitely not good for your mental health. Do you agree with me?

Save yourself and get rid of those burdens for a better life!

Finally,

I would like to wish all of us going through this difficult time. And hope this article could help you to live a more positive life.