There is no denying that right now, the world is in a crisis. The outbreak of COVID-19 has shut down countries, caused economic trouble in governments and businesses, closed schools, and put millions of people out of work. If you feel like your mental health is taking a hit, you are not alone. Luckily, there are many ways to stay positive during this time.

With this newfound time that many people now have on their hands, now is an opportunity to work on something new, something that has been put off, or something that was previously planned. This is also the perfect time to reach out to family and friends that you may not have seen recently. 

Of course, there are many other ways to improve happiness. According to Neil Pasricha, the author of The Happiness Equation, “Writing 20 minutes about a positive experience dramatically improves happiness. Your brain re-lives it while writing… and while reading it.” However, the opposite is also true. Writing about a negative experience makes your brain re-live it, making you possibly feel worse. For the best results while writing, write about five things you are grateful for. This is another tip from Pasricha, who says that taking time to recognize the good things in your life can make you physically and mentally healthier.

If you want to stay happy while helping others, try doing random acts of kindness. Throw a surprise virtual party, show support for all the essential workers, and show positivity in your community by writing messages on the sidewalk in chalk.

There are plenty of ways to stay happy and healthy during this time, so try and find the ways that work best for you, stay happy, and safe!