Five Easy Strategies to Thrive (Even in 2020)
Is anyone besides me tired of 2020? To say this year has been an extra rough one is an understatement. Who could have guessed the majority of 2020 would be spent battling through a global pandemic? A very challenging year for us all on all levels – physically, emotionally, mentally. As we are still deep in the trenches with it, we continue to deal with many unknowns: when will this get better, will life ever be normal again (or at least close to it), how many more loved ones will we lose to this, what will the long-term effects on our mental, emotional, and physical health be? The questions continue pile up, most remaining unanswered. While I don’t have any answers, I do have a few easy, budget-friendly strategies I’ve found helpful as we navigate through this crazy year.
Five easy strategies worth trying
1. Take a breath. Sounds simple, but it’s super important. With stress, anxiety, and fear at all-time high levels, it is more important than ever to take a moment and to really breathe.
iBreathe – Relax and Breathe is a free app for all iOS devices which is simple and effective, with customizable reminders, guided breathing exercises, and more.
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ibreathe-relax-and-breathe/id1296605806
2. Start a gratitude journal. We can jump-start that elusive “glass half full” mentality by actively reminding ourselves daily of all the good things we still have going for us, even now. There are a lot! It doesn’t matter if the journal is a physical or a digital version, utilize whatever works best for you.
Gratitude: Journal and Reminders is a free app for all iOS devices where you can create your own Vision Board of journey entries, positive affirmations, daily inspiration, and more.
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/gratitude-journal-reminders/id1372575227
If you prefer a physical, hand-held journal, try The Happiness Project One-Sentence Journal: A Five-Year Record Diary. It is a five-year journal with a daily quote and you record one thought or important moment for each day. The last price I saw for it on Amazon was ~$14.
3. Looking for a little help quitting your bad habits? We all have things we should quit. For some of us, 2020 exaggerated those bad habits. For example, me biting my nails!
Quit That – Habit Tracker: Try this app, it’s free, with no limits and no ads. People have found this app useful for a wide variety of addictive behaviors, and it’s worth a try.
https://cozyapps.com/quitthat/
4. Video chat with family and friends regularly. Phone calls and texting are great, but seeing someone face-to-face is so much better. Video chats are the safest alternative when in-person isn’t feasible. Here are five I recommend you check out, if you are not already familiar with them.
Zoom (40-minute limits for the free plan have typically removed on holidays currently)
FaceTime (for iPhone users)
Google Duo (for Android users)
Skype (supports international call and text)
HouseParty (this app alerts you when you friends are “in the house”)
5. Retrain your brain. According to researchers, our thoughts directly affect our physical, mental, and physiological health. I’m big on reading, and a book I found life-changing was “Switch on Your Brain” by Dr. Carolyn Leaf. In it, she discusses the science behind our thoughts and our body’s triggering responses, but it is all explained in a way that is easily understandable, even by those of us not trained as medical professionals. She provides tangible, actionable steps we can all take to improve our inner monologue and elevate our thought life.
If you want to purchase a copy of the book, it is available on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Switch-Your-Brain-Happiness-Thinking/dp/0801015707
Or if you’re not big on reading, you can listen to it on Audible:
Now the work begins
There you have it! A quick list of five easy strategies I find helpful, and perhaps you will too. However, for it to help, you’ll have to put the hard work in. There’s a quote by Angeline Trevena that I often think about when I’m facing a seemingly insurmountable challenge that goes, “Some people see a wall, and assume that’s the end of their journey. Others see it, and decide it’s just the beginning.” I’d like to say I see the wall and decide it’s just the beginning and sometimes that is true, but other times I see the wall and run in the other direction. These are battles we will face every day, and while I’d like to tell you that life will get easier, that is most likely not going to be the case. However, I can tell you with all sincerity that life is always worth the fight. And you know what? I believe in you.
Questions, comments, or just need to chat? Send me a direct message via LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram.
Cheers until next time,
Crystal
