How to Overcome Hopelessness During The Pandemic

During a conversation with my mom this week, I was expressing my frustrations with how isolating and lonely life can feel. As an extrovert, it is hard living in a world where most people are afraid to approach or have small conversations with others.

A lot of people assume, because we were homeschooling before Covid, that there weren’t many challenges we had to overcome. And while our schooling didn’t change during Covid, like it did for others, everything else outside of homeschooling became a struggle with our kids.

All of their favorite places to go during the week were forced to close, no one really knew if it was safe for them to go out in public with me, and their closest friends and family were all of a sudden not safe to be around. It was hard navigating these topics without promoting fear.

Thankfully, for only one day a week, my kids go to a homeschool enrichment program. It is like school but on a much smaller scale. It is so difficult watching the enthusiasm for school dwindle as they grow tired of constantly having to wear masks. What a weird time to be a kid and what a hard time it is to be a parent.

Regardless of the current situation in the world, and my lack of feeling like I have any control over our future, I continue to show up most days with an optimistic attitude. After all, I have little eyes looking up at me, watching and mimicking how I react in these situations.

So, if you’re struggling, too, with feeling powerless in this chaotic world, try these exercises.

Accept What You Can’t Control

Can I get an amen?

Nothing you do will change the course or the outcome of what is happening right now. The only thing you can control is how you react to it. Have you ever noticed when your children are young and they fall, they look to you to see your reaction to determine if they should start crying or not. Your kids feed off of your energy.

It is no different with this pandemic. So accept that this is out of your control, focus on what you can do, and do it well!

Set New Goals

The one thing quarantine gave all of us was more time at home. Instead of focusing on things outside of your control, try directing that same energy toward achieving your own goals. Sit down and reflect on where you would like to see yourself in one year, three years, or even five years from now. What can you start doing today to work towards those goals?

From a little bit of my own self reflection, I decided I would spend some time improving my overall health. For my mental health, I started clearing the clutter from my house that was causing clutter in my head and prioritizing activities that brought me great joy. As for my physical health, I began focusing on better eating habits and implementing more exercise daily.

Whatever your long term goals are, try breaking those goals into daily, weekly, and monthly actions that will help keep you focused.

Power of Positive Thinking

We live in the Information Age where literally anything you want to know is at your fingertips. Which can be a good and a bad thing. I often find myself getting overwhelmed with the amount of information we have access to. If you find yourself feeling this way, turn it off, and practice being positive.

Simple ways to practice being positive include:

• Keep a gratitude journal
• Remember to laugh often
• Practice positive self-talk
• Surround yourself with positive people
• Be intentional with replacing negative thoughts
• Listen to uplifting podcasts
• Read inspirational books

Don’t Take This Moment For Granted

Time is precious and never promised. The best thing you can do for yourself is to be present in the moment you are gifted right now. Because life will always be a journey of ups and downs. Sometimes we find ourselves in dark valleys, but it is those dark valleys that make the view from the mountain top much more beautiful and worthwhile. We will get through this together!

Everyone needs some encouragement, so don’t forget to share this with your family and friends!