It is vitally important that you find a way to stay positive when things are at their worst. This is not just some New Age mind game. Doctors stress the importance of staying positive. Positivity not only has an effect on our mental health, but on the mental health of everyone we encounter. Joy is just as contagious as misery and despair. So choose joy when at all possible.

Of course, it is okay to not be okay. No one is okay in a pandemic that has lasted this long and that has affected so many people. You don’t have to be happy about everything to be positive about most things. You don’t have to smile when tears are more appropriate. You don’t have to fake it till you make it. You don’t have to pretend that reality is something other than what it is.

That said, you can’t afford to miss the bright side, the silver lining, and the light at the end of the tunnel. You cannot lose sight of the fact that this, too, will pass. If you allow yourself to get trapped in a negative feedback loop, you will miss out on opportunities when they come your way. If all this sounds too difficult to pull off, here are a few suggestions of little things you can do to keep your spirits high:

Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone practiced a perfect diet all the time? We could stomp out diabetes, heart disease, and a number of other ailments related to diet. Unfortunately, we are unable to make that desire a reality. Being human, we are always going to make some less than perfect dietary choices, especially during times of great stress.

Instead, consider adding adaptogens to promote a calm and stress-free mental state. This has been a mainstay in Chinese and Ayurvedic healing for centuries. According to Clean,

Adaptogens have been known to help improve cognitive function and mood, increase energy levels, assist with stress management, and help mental fatigue.

These are all of the things you need to have if you want to maintain a positive spirit. No one has ever been disadvantaged by improving cognitive function, mood, and energy levels. These are the tools you need to fight off depression and despair. There are many supplements worth considering that you will not get through diet in sufficient amounts. Supplements are affordable and highly attainable. They might just be the secret weapon you have been looking for.

As we get ready to transition from fall to winter, there will be fewer opportunities to bathe in natural sunlight. Take every opportunity you can to let the light into your home and your life. When we feel low, we have a tendency to close the curtains and sit in dark rooms staring at screens and retreating into our own, little world. However, this is not the healthiest state of affairs for emotional positivity.

Right now, we have the benefit of the sunshine. It is not all cloudy and overcast. When those bright days come our way, we should welcome the brightness into our homes and hearts. It is hard for the darkness within to thrive when we walk in the light. When you days are full of light, energy, productivity, and exercise you get worn out. Crawling into those new sheets each night will be a welcome change from being so busy all day, before you know it, your sleep will improve and you won’t be tossing and turning with your iPhone all night before drinking too much coffee the next morning to prop yourself awake. 

1984 is calling. And it is telling you to turn up the radio. Even if you don’t favor Autograph, the group that produced the hit song, you can appreciate the sentiment. While loud volume is not required, nothing lifts spirits faster than a jolt of your favorite tunes. This might not seem like the season of music. But music is universal and eternal. There is no such thing as an inappropriate time for music. The right music will have you chair dancing before you realize you are doing it. Dance is an involuntary response. When you hear the right music, your body will know it. And it will have a positive effect on every part of your being.

You don’t have to be okay to keep your spirits high. The right supplements, the right light, and the right music will always keep you moving forward.