Limit exposure
- Limit the time you’re exposed to the situation. Be informed, but limit the amount of news, media, social media, that you take in.
- For social media, you can choose to follow and unfollow certain accounts and channels.
- Use social media to build yourself up, promote positivity, and connect with non-toxic people. Social media is a fantastic tool when used this way.
Practice reframing thoughts
- Reframe your negative and distorted thoughts. Read about cognitive reframing here. To begin dealing with negative thoughts, we must recognize when we have one. Next, is to identify what triggered the emotion.
- Our thoughts and emotions are linked. Notice whether you are ignoring, minimizing, or exaggerating the situation.
- Challenge your thoughts, be curious about them.
- Keep in mind that thoughts are just thoughts and not fact.
- The final step is to reframe. Rewrite the thought so that it is no longer negative, personal, permanent, and pervasive. With the practice of reframing our thoughts, over time, positive thinking becomes a biproduct.
Allow yourself to feel peace
- Let peace begin with you. What can you do or think that makes you feel peaceful?
- A few ways to begin feeling peaceful may include, guided meditation, going for a hike or walk, drawing, working on a puzzle, journaling, etc. Allow yourself to feel peace and notice what it feels like.
Limiting exposure to news and social media, reframing thoughts, and finding peace are 3 mindful ways to increase positivity, but there are other paths out there, as well. Participate in 2 to 3 mindful activities for a few weeks or a month to see what you enjoy. Build a mindfulness skillset to use during hard times.
Additional information on coping through hard times
Finding your coping mechanism | Joseph Lewis | TEDxFoggyBottom (YouTube)
Positive Affirmations to get through a Crisis or Difficult Time
Beach Ball Metaphor for Coping with Emotional Dysregulation
Distress Tolerance Skills for Managing Stress and Crisis (DBT)
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