How to Set a Good Mood for the Day Despite the Hard Times

We’re all feeling it. It certainly is a lot more challenging to stay afloat mentally and emotionally during these uncertain days caused by the global pandemic. But it does not mean that it’s automatically toxic positivity when you’re just trying to stay sane during these hard times. Yes, it is healthy to acknowledge that it’s quite depressing to read news after news about death figures and virus variants that seem to multiple by the day. But while we definitely cannot control what is going on around us, we can at least try to control our internal worlds by cheering ourselves up, if only to function well on the daily. Even small steps towards trying to feel better are still a win, if I may say.

Here are some mood-enhancing decisions you can make to try to improve the tone of your day, even just a little bit:

1. Remind yourself of top 3 blessings you’re grateful for.

Start your day with affirmations like, “I am grateful I am alive”, “I am thankful I have roof over my head and food to eat” and “I am blessed my family members are healthy and safe”. When you make it a habit to start your day with gratefulness, something in your mental program just clicks towards seeing the good in your day and in life. Anything that brings you joy is worth your thankfulness– be it a mug of brewed coffee or your favorite K-pop song. There’s no shame in celebrating the little things that put you in such a good mood. Have you ever noticed that what happens during the first few hours in your morning often sets the tone for the rest of the day? So try to set that good mood during the first few minutes of your day by being thankful for things that make you feel truly blessed.

2. Think of one nice thing you can do for yourself for the day.

In the morning, try to decide on one nice thing you can do dedicated entirely to making you feel good. Set aside some time to do the things that boost your mood, like maybe doing your makeup thoroughly, taking a good photo, cooking your favorite meal, or watching your fave K-drama series. It could also be doing a quick Zoom date with your BFF. Tell yourself you’re going to do it just because it’s gonna feel great. Stop feeling guilty for trying to stay balanced and sane.

3. Lessen your social media time.

Social media platforms have improved our lives in terms of elevating the way we connect to people and our loved ones, but they have downsides too. Social media have also exposed us to too many data, which could be draining as hell. While it is good to be informed of what is going on in the world, we do not necessarily have to take in every single news item in our feed. Learn to be mindful and selective of the information that you’d allow yourself to be emotionally and mentally involved in.

4. Develop a routine dedicated to improving your health.

When you know that you are developing habits to take care of your health, you instantly feel accomplished and great. Notice how you feel amazing after a good workout session, or after eating a healthy meal? Remember, taking even a small step is still a win.

5. Try to lend a helping hand if you can.

It could be as simple as listening and consoling a friend who’s going through a crisis, or supporting a loved one’s online business by hitting the like button on their posts. Nothing is more rewarding than knowing you’ve done a simple act of kindness for the day.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with truly allowing ourselves to feel sadness and pain, because it reminds us that we are humans who are capable of being affected by the things happening around us. But there’s definitely no shame too if we want to feel a sense of normalcy from time to time just to cope up. You do you.