Keeping your feet on the ground and mental health stable during these pandemic days are essential. Many people of all ages have been struggling to maintain a healthy mindset due to lack of human contact, isolation, and mourning of how life used to be. Are you one of these people? Have you taken the time to listen to your thoughts and understand why you are feeling the way you do? Here’s what to do to keep you at your very best emotionally, spiritually, and socially during COVID-19.

Emotional self-care is all about becoming more in tune with your emotions. It is about checking in with yourself, becoming more mindful of what triggers you and your thinking patterns. The key is finding ways to work through them, rather than bottling them up inside. To stay emotionally balanced you can practice meditation. Find a comfortable spot where you can relax without interruptions or distractions, close your eyes and focus on the rhythm of your breath. Meditation is not about time, start small! Journaling is another powerful way to keep a steady mind. Writing down your thoughts and feelings can give your brain a way to release its energy to the world, allowing you to process new and healthier thoughts. Try writing down how you feel daily. It can be about your day, COVID, goals you want to set, or even that recurring daydream you have stuck in your head. 

Spiritual self-care doesn’t necessarily have to relate to religion, although it can for some people. When practicing spiritual self-care you are nourishing your soul, striving for inner peace, and seeking to find purpose and meaning in your life. Some ways to practice helping your soul are meditation, spending time in nature, donating to your favorite charity, or cleaning your space so you can feel good about the environment you’re in. Make these tasks a daily priority and it’s guaranteed to change how you think. 

Humans, by nature, are social beings, which makes the mandates of social distancing so difficult for some. Social self-care may look different for introverts and extroverts, levels of comfort in social situations differ from person to person. Find your own personal level of comfort and work from there on up. Connection is important: nowadays it seems nearly impossible to maintain a strong, in person relationship because of COVID. Being away from face to face interactions has had a huge impact on social skills. To get back on the right track, try reconnecting with old friends. Strike up a conversation with a random person at the coffee shop when you pick up your morning coffee. Spend your free time talking to family members or safely meet up with friends.

Regardless of the mental state you might be in right now, there is always a way to improve. All of these self care suggestions are just small changes that can uplift your mood and overall mindset of the current pandemic drastically if done regularly.