Before we begin, we would just like to add that we understand how 2020 was a horrible year for humanity overall. All of us, to some degree or the other, struggled with our mental health during the COVID-19 Pandemic. But personal change in the smallest order practiced at the right place and the right time could potentially make us cope better.

Mindfulness and wellness became some of the biggest buzzwords in 2020, and mental health during COVID-19 became the center-point of many urgent conversations. The transformative power of mindfulness has gotten tons of people out of the rut since time immemorial. But this year, it’s been a different kind of difficult – an unfamiliar difficult.

Have you ever just found yourself assuming someone’s happy because their social media says so? Just because things seem to be going well for them?

Assuming people don’t have fears, issues, and their share of troubles is unfair. To you as well as the person you’re basing your assumptions about.

Wellness is when people allow themselves to focus on only those things that they can benefit from. And detach themselves from things that would otherwise hold them back.

Mindfulness is not an effort to eliminate fear, or block out all the shadows of your life. It’s a state of mind that allows you to be okay during happy times and the not-so-happy times.

Here are five powerful habits that can help you re-learn what you know about mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meditate.

The health benefits of meditation are known far and wide. Yet, what most people skip mentioning is how meditation can help you know and understand yourself better.

Consider starting a meditation practice if you don’t already have one. The goal isn’t to become a monk overnight. Starting small is key!

Especially when you’re relearning ways to look after your mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even just a few minutes a day can have a profound impact on centering you. Mobile apps like Calm and Headspace can also help make the process easier and sustainable.

Be present.

Wellness is essentially making yourself feel grounded on a regular basis. A lot of us spend our energy thinking or worrying about tomorrow – the future. It’s good to make a mental reminder of statements like, “all we have is today, and more specifically, the present moment.”

Being fully present while eating, conversing with family and friends, at work meetings, can be highly rewarding. These are small ways to promote wellness from within.

Even when you find yourself struggling with your mental health — pandemic or not, being present with your emotions can allow you to focus on the now. And can **help you slow down to embrace what you’re feeling.

Be aware of how you feel.

The first thing I taught myself, whenever I found myself struggling with my mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, was to recognize what I was feeling. Physically and emotionally.

This helped me try and understand the cause behind what I was feeling. Paying attention to your emotions at any given moment — is mindfulness — and you can reap long-term benefits from it.

Acknowledging your feelings can be especially helpful when you don’t feel good. When you notice yourself feeling angry or agitated, “check-in” with your body to understand why.

And instead of succumbing to anger and expressing yourself in a toxic manner, inculcate the process of acknowledging and addressing your emotions.

Allow yourself to feel angry.

You will then able to process what you’re feeling, identify the reasons behind it, and take necessary action that alleviates the anger. This is what we call wellness for the soul.

Keep a journal.

Journaling is an excellent way of staying aware of what’s happening in your life and how you feel. It helps you get things off your chest, detach from negative energy, and see the bigger picture.

The best part is that journaling takes any shape and form you want it to. The sheer lack of structure helps you understand what your flow of emotions and thoughts really is. It’s your easiest ticket to wellness through mindful behavior.

Most people swear by writing three things they are grateful for before they go to bed. This is a practice known to make you feel better by highlighting the things you appreciate. Especially right before hitting snooze and ending your day.

While having a designated time for journaling is great, getting to it when you just need to vent out works just as well.

Reduce social media pressure.

It’s quite ironic when an app meant to increase connection can decrease how connected you can feel with your circle and yourself. Social media for many of us translates into instant gratification and approval. It can also be a waste of time.

This study conducted by Peking University titled, *”Social Media Use and Mental Health during the COVID‐19 Pandemic”,* underlines the negative effects social media can have on unsuspecting users.

Feelings of depression among their subjects were noted. The detrimental relationship between exposure to disaster news from social media and mental health during COVID-19 was also reported.

Being mindful when it comes to using and existing on social media can assist people in maintaining healthy relationships with their actual and virtual selves.

Relared : Jobs In Demand During The Covid-19 Pandemic

And finally,

All we would like to leave you with is that recovery is a completely subjective experience.

And everyone owes themselves the respect it requires to take up healing. Being mindful isn’t a magician’s trick. It can’t be learned overnight either.

It takes effort to ask yourself to be better every day. However, the fruits of this effort are the kind that keep you up and running for longer than anyone’s bet.

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