How to find joy during a period of uncertainty
If there was one word to sum up 2020, it would be uncertainty. This year has been a rollercoaster for us all, and it doesn’t seem as though the rest of the year will bring the sense of calm we’ve all been craving.
Today I wanted to remind you all that despite this ongoing uncertainty, there’s still so much opportunity to find joy. There are practical things we can do to invite more positivity into our life, to calm our brains and to make ourselves happier, and in this post, I’ll be sharing some of them with you…
Disconnect from the rolling news cycle
With so much access to news, both local and global, it can be tempting to spend all day everyday reading the BBC news website, hitting refresh every 10 minutes and gorging ourselves on just about every fact, figure and story available. But the truth is, consuming all of that information isn’t useful in any way - all it does is add to our collective feeling of anxiety and unease.
So, while the world feels a little bit crazy, try to disconnect from the rolling news cycle. Checking in once or twice or day is more than enough, and if you’d rather checkout completely, think about asking a trusted friend or loved one to keep you up to speed with any changes. And of course, be more vigilant than ever about where you’re getting your news from - now is not the time to start reading the Daily Mail!
Be conscious of what else you’re consuming
I love a crime drama or a hard hitting documentary as much as the next person, but when the world around us feels so intense, consuming lots of anxiety inducing content can make us feel even worse. Instead, prioritise books with happy endings, funny podcasts, feel good films and TV shows that allow you to switch off for a little while.
I’ve been loving Our Yorkshire Farm and Mortimer and Whitehouse Go Fishing (both proper comfort telly), the brilliant So I Got To Thinking podcast (one for any Sex and the City fans out there), and I’ve been trying to focus my reading on novels I can get lost in.
Focus on the here and now
We all know the importance of living in the present moment, but I don’t think that has ever been more necessary than it has been this year. None of us know what the coming months will hold, but worrying about it won’t change anything - it just robs us of this time that we have right here, right now.
Instead, try to focus on tasks that ground you in the present moment. Some of my favourite grounding activities include cooking, meditating, doing some yoga, curling up with a good book and catching up with friends - all of these things will help you to step back from your worry for a little while so that you can just be.
Practice gratitude
You guys know that I recommend gratitude practice for just about everything, but that’s because it works. Feeling thankful for all of the good in your life is one of the most effective ways to ward off any bad feelings, so grab a blank piece of paper or your notebook, and get writing!
Remember that there’s nothing too big or small to put on your list - write down the names of the people you love, list the parts of your work that bring you the most joy, and if that hot cuppa you’re drinking right now is putting a smile on your face, get that down on paper too! When you’re done, pin the list up somewhere that you’ll see it often.
Focus on what you can do
When there’s so much going on that we can’t control, I find that focusing on what you can control can really help. For me, that has been looking like making the most of the meals my husband and I share together (we’ve really upped our cooking skills this year!), making my home as cosy as possible and using this quieter time to get stuck into some really great books.
We can’t change what’s happening in the world around us, but we can pour energy into making our own little world as positive and joyful as it can be.
Lean on your community
Finally, now is the time to lean on your community - we need each other more than ever! Call your friends and family, share those funny GIFs in your Whatsapp group, send snail mail to anyone who might enjoy it and spread as much joy and positivity as you can within your social circles.
Connection is so important, and I wholeheartedly believe that the best way to get through the uncertainty is by leaning on each other. It reminds us that we’re all part of something much bigger, which always makes life feel that little bit more joyful.
How are you finding joy right now?
