10 Tips On Finding Joy in Uncertain Times

The months of lockdown and loss have had a huge impact on us all and prioritizing mental health has never been more important than it is now.

In line with the upcoming World Mental Health Day this October 10th, I write this post, not just inspire people to effectively cope up with present challenges but to also help promote overall psychological wellbeing

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Having a positive outlook can seem so hard, especially during uncertain times. And sometimes, it can be hard to know where to start.

I had my fair share of tragedies back in my childhood and some of the most painful heartaches are just from recent years.

I can still remember/feel the pain and how depressed I was/am. I didn’t feel like I could handle life at all. I just wanted to leave and escape this world…to run free.

Worrying used to keep me awake at night (I still do). I would just cry inside my room – sometimes I would hear voices in my head. My life was like this for many years until I began to understand myself better. I healed my past traumas and learned to respond to myself in the most effective and compassionate ways.

Some of the things I’ve learned over the years had helped me develop a great sense of mental wellbeing and a solid emotional foundation that keeps me sane and able to thrive during times of trouble.

I swear by these 10 Tips On Finding Joy in Uncertain Times. It had helped me, and I want to share them with you so you too can benefit.

Practice Gratitude

The moment you wake up, start the day by mentally listing at least five things you’re grateful for. This works wonders! Practicing gratitude will help you focus on the goodness of life. If you acknowledge how blessed you are every single day, you get to attract more blessings into your life.

I make sure the moment I open my eyes, I would just stay still, feel that morning energy and just be thankful for all the things I could think of – like a comfortable bed, an 8-hours straight sleep, my fresh soft linens, etc. And before I go to bed at night, I would pray again and be thankful for the things that went well in my day.

Slow down and FEEL

I would wake up a little bit earlier, so I don’t have to rush in the morning. There’s something special waking up very early in the morning (not just hearing those crickets, but you will get to feel that energy that comes from silence) I take the time to do a 5-minute meditation which includes my daily gratitude prayer. I take time to make my bed, clean up my room, and prepare breakfast.

As I drink my coffee, I would really take time to enjoy that strong nutty, caramel-like, dark-chocolatey taste in my palate – that balance between creaminess, sweetness, and bitterness that boost my inner self to take on another journey of what lies ahead.

I realized how much joy and peace it gives me to REALLY FEEL every human experience available to me. I find myself more and more refreshed, inspired, hopeful, and purposeful. I am truly grateful to be able to participate in such an emotional connection through my senses.

Give back

The solution to helplessness is doing something for a greater purpose. Focus on the things that you can do to serve and help others. This doesn’t just mean financial help or donating a hundred packs of groceries to less fortunate communities like what we always see in social media. You can give back to the world just by being yourself and being kind to others. Some use their talents – doing TikTok challenges, sharing valuable contents on Youtube, doing a makeup tutorial, etc. Making something valuable out of your time is already something you can be proud of.

Make time for Passion Projects

It may be difficult to find the motivation to work when you’re having that heavy heart. But once you feel that urge – maybe to draw, paint, read, etc. – that’s the inner self who wants to play. Just give it a try and once you start again, it will be a lot easier. The last thing you know, you are already enjoying it.

Somewhere at the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, I felt that I had become out of balance, and needed a reset. And since I have lots of alone time at home and work, I’ve decided to commit to working on my blog and come up with an entry every month. Some days I paint. Some days, I make DIY projects or whatever it is I feel like doing and brings me joy. The commitment to doing something each day has helped me to make more progress than I was making before and has helped add purpose to my time.

Meditate / Pray

I am not a religious person, but I always believed that there is a greater force above us all. Meditation helps expand intuition and strengthen our body-mind-spirit connection.

I don’t have formal knowledge about meditation but what I do (and what works for me) is by closing my eyes and staying still. I do conscious breathing (inhale-exhale). I feel the air as it goes inside me and breathes out all the pain, anxiety, and negativity. I talk to God and just surrendering everything to him. I find this very effective. I’m doing this every morning and evening, or whenever I feel like I needed to – God is inside us and His Grace runs through us 24/7. Our daily conversation with God will definitely give us the strength we need.

Let yourself cry (IT ‘S OKAY, REALLY!)

Sometimes, the easiest and most therapeutic way is to just let yourself cry. Acknowledging that all our feelings are valid. Once you have let go of the pain, it will be a lot easier for you to be hopeful. Giving yourself a good cry is very liberating.

Spend quality time with LOVED ONES

Those powerful and profound moments when we make a connection and by simply being together give us the contentment and happiness that we need, especially in times of distress.

Use this time to play and bond with your son/ daughter, video chat with friends, have a date night with your hubby, cook for the family, etc. These simple things will give you joy in an instant.

Journaling

As a teenager, I kept a cute diary with a heart ♥ lock. It was a trend – I’m sure, every girl had one. Back then, not because it was cute, but for me, it was a place of my dreams, secret crushes, anger (since I was bullied for a very long time by my classmates), and fears (scared that my parents will kill me if they found out I didn’t make it in TOP5 of the class). It was nice to get all of those thoughts and feelings out of my head and down on every page of my diary. The world seemed better.

When I started working back in 2015, I was able to bring it back to my daily routine – same concept, same benefits. Now it’s called journaling. Simply writing down your thoughts and feelings will help you understand yourself better. And if you struggle with stress, depression, or anxiety, keeping a journal will definitely help you gain control of your emotions and improve your mental health.

Keep moving

Keep moving…. This may mean 1.) literally, to MOVE and 2.) have that intention to move forward with life.

Go out, walk in the park, do some workouts, anything that will make you sweat. Exercise or any forms of physical activities will instantly boost your mood and gain back the confidence. Getting in shape will make you healthier, feel better, and improve your overall appearance.

This also includes having a to-do list or a goal. In my journal, I would plan my week based on the things I want to accomplish – one step at a time. No pressure nor judgments here. The goal is to make yourself so busy so that you will NOT have the time to think about your worries. This will help you manage your time and energy. Plus, this will move you closer to your goals.

Life goes on. Decide that you MUST MOVE FORWARD as well.

And lastly,

Trust that Everything will work out for the BEST

Whatever it is you are going through right now, always know that everything happens for a reason. We may not be able to understand this now, but soon things will unfold, and you will be able to figure things out.

Have faith in the PROCESS. Trust in God and in His willingness to provide help when needed, no matter how challenging the circumstances. Know that God will never leave nor forsake us.

Keep an open mind and view this crisis as opportunities for you to grow. Things work themselves out in ways we could never plan for. Keep the door open and allow the unexpected things to happen…

Because detours can also be beautiful.