Are you ok?
If there’s any question that will define 2020 in my mind, it’s this one. The other day I came across this: according to researchers who analyze emotions expressed on Twitter, 2020 is the saddest year in the 13 years since their study began, setting multiple “saddest day ever” records). We’re not only dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, but also with a “pandemic of human disappointment” as all of our events & plans are canceled, our regular routines thrown out the window, and our vision for what this year would be… evaporated.
So if you (like so many of us!) are contending with low-key 2020 blues, I want to share some quick ways to find alegría that you can count on for a little pick-me-up. They won’t cure more severe mental health symptoms that can strain your ability to cope (for those, look to a therapist, counselor or helpline ¡por favor!), but these small things can for sure change the course of a day.
1. Sit in the sunshine. Even before the pandemic, research showed that Americans spend an average of 87% of their time indoors, and another 6% in cars, so many of us don’t get nearly enough sunlight. Which is no good, because sunlight elevates serotonin levels, a neurotransmitter that is critical in balancing mood. It’s also super important for helping our bodies form vitamin D! Even one minute spent letting the sun warm my (sunscreened) face makes such a difference. Pro tip: roll up your sleeve during the winter so the sun can hit more of your bare skin!
2. Brinca. Photographer Phillippe Halsman worked with all of the biggest celebs of his day (Marilyn Monroe, Richard Nixon, Audrey Hepburn), and he always made them jump. He believed that jumping helped people drop their masks and release the joyful self inside. And it really is nearly impossible to be grouchy while leaping through the air (try it!). Other effective ways to find alegría: skipping, hopping, or even just throwing your hands in the air.
3. Do something new. Staying mostly at home can make all our days almost identical. So even adding something small to the normal routine can brighten up a day. Order a chai if you normally drink coffee, wear something you would normally NEVER wear, eat dessert first. 🙂 Doing something new can help break the downward spiral of a bad mood and perhaps offer a moment of joy.
4. Look up. This one seems so simple, but it really works. We spend so much time looking down at our phones and our computers, so lifting the gaze opens up your posture and allows more light into your eyes. Both of those things can help improve mood and shift your perspective (literally and metaphorically). And looking up increases the likelihood you’ll see something happy, like a bird, a butterfly, or a whimsical shape in the clouds. I love hanging plants in my house, because they give us an interesting reason to look up!
5. Cheer someone else up. This one is basically a guarantee! Focusing on making someone else feel good takes the focus off your own less-awesome feelings. And thinking about ways to cheer someone up, whether through a kind gesture, a funny video or joke, or a thoughtful little surprise, give you almost as much joy as actually doing the thing. AND if you are successful in sparking someone else’s joy, you’ll probably “catch” some as you feel their joy boomerang right back to you.
It’s easy to overlook very small things like this or dismiss them as unimportant. But I’ve been all about the “small moments of joy” this year because, well, so many of our big ones seem to have been put on hold. Also, because emotions tend to work in “positive feedback loops” (meaning they compound and create more of the same emotion), even a few small moments of joy each day can have a meaningful impact.
Do you have a quick way to find alegría that never fails to boost your mood? I would love to know, please share it in the comments!
P.S. Our free “Momentos de alegría 2020” poster (pictured above) is the gift that keeps on giving! Download it here if you haven’t already & get our list of small, joyful activities for the whole family. We’ve been working our way through it, and checking off all of the happy things we’ve done together is a mood-booster for sure!
(Photo of Audrey Hepburn by Philippe Halsman.)