10 Tips to Promote Happiness and Eliminate Painful Memories

If you are like most people, you may not want to remember the traumatic events of 2020, and you are right. The pandemic has left an indelible impact on all aspects of our lives, and we have lost loved ones, friends, and colleagues due to the virus.

The pandemic has changed our lifestyle, work, shopping, and entertainment, and we faced the worst economic crisis in history. So, food banks, self-quarantine, masks, and threats to workers on the front lines have become commonplace, and the terminology of working remotely and exhausting virtual meetings in our daily conversation has increased. The number of infections has caused serious rates of a massive mental health crisis that has affected the entire world.

A recent LHH survey showed that 92% of respondents felt overwhelmed in November, and a recent Gallup survey reported that mental health and emotional well-being had fallen sharply, dropping to their lowest levels since 2001. According to LHH Innovation Director Mary-Clare Race, “As companies transition to fully virtual work for the foreseeable future, most corporate managers and veteran leaders face the new challenge of remote mental health care.”

Bright side

Let's leave 2020 and pay attention to the positives carried by the year 2021. First of all, the vaccine has become available to almost everyone,  and perhaps we will be able to fully protect ourselves from the Covid 19 virus and the misery it causes. Of course, all our problems and pains will not disappear overnight.

The bitter truth is that the pandemic still exists and will exist for a long time, and we will find obstacles in all aspects of our lives. While dealing with it may seem stressful, there is also a bright side. we are stronger than we realise. As long as we take an affirmative position in the face of the pandemic this year 2021 and enjoy emotional patience, life will continue regardless of the number of obstacles or how difficult they are.

We have all heard the saying, “Look at the glass half full, not the glass half empty,” or something like that. If that sounds old, it is because it is used so much for good reason that it is true. This type of proverb in the past has helped people get through challenging times because it is backed up scientifically.

10 tips to boost your positivity

Neuroscientists have discovered that we are inherently biased toward negativity, which helps us survive. As psychologist Rick Hanson has said: “The brain sticks to negative experiences and forgets positive ones easily.”

Since our bias toward negativity lasts longer than positivity, we tend to overestimate the risk of threats and underestimate our ability to overcome them when we face passive conditions, such as the pandemic. Our strength lies in our response to them. This is not easy, but it is difficult. Still, these tips can help you recover after what you faced due to the pandemic and its effects.

1. Focus on the positives of the negative situation

Between cases of destruction, fear, and tragedy, it is usual to focus on the negative side of the pandemic. Still, there are cases of synergy between people, volunteering, helping each other, and strengthening the idea of collective altruism, so think about the other positives that you have noticed as well.

2. Find the opportunity in a difficult circumstance

Ask yourself how you can use the situation to your advantage, what positives you can find in it, and whether there are things you can control. For example, we can take advantage of times of self-isolation during the pandemic to meditate and think about the direction we want our lives to go, and think about the opportunities that have appeared to you despite the situation you face.

3. Look at 2020 as an experience to learn from, not just a challenging circumstance you have endured

Ask yourself what you can learn from the hardships of 2020 and use it as a stepping stone to a higher level instead of looking at it as a barrier to your progress. Think of adversity as happening for your benefit and not hinder you, and about what you have learned in 2020 and will benefit you in the follwing years.

4. Practice gratitude

Look beyond fear, loss, and disappointment. Look at the big picture. Think about your life and the things the pandemic prevented you from doing that you were underestimating. Consider all the people and things in your life for which you are praising. Allow gratitude to help you look to the future after the current depression and suffering. Think about the things that you are grateful for.

5. Take a risk

Take small risks in new situations instead of anticipating negative results before you even try. Instead of thinking that your boss will reject your application immediately if you ask for a promotion, consider that they might view you as ambitious and bold. Think also about how you can take a risk at work to achieve better results this year.

6. Avoid dramatizing situations

Don't allow a single negative experience to control your thinking. Just because you didn't get a promotion because of the pandemic doesn't mean you'll never advance in your career anymore, but it may take some time. Nothing lasts forever, and there are always other ways to succeed. Think about the circumstances that limited your potential last year and how you can overcome them this year.

7. Focus on the solution, not the problem

You will be able to deal with the pitfalls created by the pandemic when you take a step back and look at the crisis from a broader perspective and then brainstorm to think about a wide range of possibilities.

Your negative bias will cause you to dramatize the problem and make you focus on it. However, when you expand your perspective, you will be able to see the potential that you missed. Think about the potential possibilities in the following years.

8. Practice positive self-talk

Be kind to yourself during difficult times as you treat your best friend, focus on your successes instead of frustrating yourself and criticizing your faults, practice self-compassion, praise the positive feedback you receive instead of ignoring it, congratulate yourself when you accomplish something, forget about humility, remind yourself of all the resources you have, and think about your strengths.

9. Practice solitude

Solitude is good for the soul, as it allows you to pause from the frantic pursuit of a living. Look at your daily life remotely, and remove the chaos that clouds your thoughts. Spend at least five minutes a day alone, practice meditation and yoga or pray or observe nature and connect with the universe in search of inspiration and peace of mind. Also, think about the type of solitude that is right for you.

10. Notice the possible new beginning after all the losses

In losing, there is a benefit, but you have to find it. Every time you get up after you stumble is one of the times you overcome tough times. The great baseball player "Babe Ruth" (Babe Ruth) said: “It's hard to beat a person who never gives up. Every strike brings me closer to winning.” Think about the new doors opened for you in the previous years.

In conclusion

Choosing a positive attitude is one of the most powerful things you can do, so don't forget that life never stops. Be flexible and adapt to circumstances, and have the physical and mental stamina to achieve your potential in the following years.