3 Ways to Improve Your Mindset as COVID Winter Approaches

 

Woods at Bronte Creek

Fall is a little magical. We notice the light, and forget a little that it is easier to see the sky because there are fewer leaves every day. At the end of this lovely path is winter. In Canada, even bright winter days are short. Overall, the winter is dark and often damp and sometimes very cold. Patios are less attractive after Christmas and even walking is harder in wind and ice.

So we all know what is coming, and we know that COVID will make it worse. What we need to know is what will make the coming season better? Stretching a little now will set you up for more of what you need in the months to come. Here are three practices to get you started:

  • You might not have run an actual marathon, but you have had projects and experiences that seemed like marathons. These are your foundation: the evidence that you CAN keep going and the models of strategies that work for you. Lean into them. Be curious about how you managed to stay focused and keep moving. How does that help now?
  • People you have never met have helped you shape your sense of your own life and of life in general. They might have been writers or athletes or performers or scientists, but their stories are part of your story. Be curious about how that happened. How do people make a difference from a distance?
  • Celebrate something. You have to practice this, to celebrate when you're feeling okay so you will be good at it when conditions are more difficult.The heart of celebration is a feeling that you have when you notice something good and reflect that back into the world. You can do that on your own or with the people close to you. 
Sometimes this feels like the end of the world. If it were the end, you wouldn't waste time on stuff you can't change. You would, I believe, make the most of the kindness, courage and beauty all around you. Does that sound hokey or impractical? Actual science shows that taking control of your mindset, being deliberate in your optimism and helping others are all associated with tangible, practical advantages. 

Don't take my word for it: experiment and notice what changes.


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