Dayton Kingery: ​3 Ways to Lift Your Spirits During the Pandemic

We all know that these are difficult times. Whether you live here in Greenwich, Connecticut or literally anywhere else in the world, it's been a very trying year.

Most of us know someone who has been sick, or has died, from COVID-19; we know people who have lost their jobs; we know children who have not been in school and have not had their regular routine.

We haven't had our regular routine.

So what can you do to help yourself during this pandemic and to feel that there is a light at the end of that tunnel. Most of us like to feel like we have some control over our lives. One of the most difficult things about this pandemic has been the loss of control. When we are told where we can and can't go, and with whom we can congregate; when we are forced to change our daily lives for health safety we feel that sense of control ebbing away.

Here are a three tips that can help you to deal with life as we know it at the moment.

1) Dreaming and planning: Dreaming doesn't cost anything, and it's always a great way to lift your spirits. When people have something to think about, and a future plan, it helps them to feel hopeful and to keep moving forward. If you have the money, book a trip a year from now. This may sound silly, but if you can dream about that trip to Italy, the Grand Canyon, or anywhere in between and anticipate its arrival, it can really help to boost your mood. Of course, the trip itself will be good for the soul and the body. Make sure to book a location that you can cancel in the event that it doesn't work out. If you don't have the money to travel in this way, then make a plan with a friend who lives out of town. You can go and stay with them (or they can come to you) once we are out of this pandemic.

2) Focus on your health: Again, there are things that we can control and things that we can't. Some people have used the lockdowns and the months during the pandemic to eat and gain weight. Others have used it as a time to really focus on food and exercise and to get healthier. You have the ability to focus on your health during this time. Try, even if you are home all day long, to eat three solid meals a day and not to snack. If you need to get rid of all of the junk food in your house in order to make this work – then do so. There are more online exercise programs than you can count, including new ones that started during COVID-19. Find one that you can stick with and do a consistent routine every single day.

3) Help others: Yes, this seems counterintuitive when you are depressed or in need of assistance, but it really works. When you step outside of your own needs and focus on those of others, it can really boost your spirits and your energy. You can give money to a local organization. I know, for instance, of many in Greenwich, Connecticut helping people who need food, clothing, job assistance, etc. You can reach out to an older person who you know and ask them how they are doing. Call them once a week and check in on them. You might be able to make a meal or cut up some vegetables and bring it to someone else who is home bound.

All of these ideas are intended to offer you a sense of control and a way to lift your spirits during these difficult times. Remember, this will end and we will get back to some sense of normalcy. But while we are in the midst of the pandemic, think of small ways that you can help yourself today.