Who would have known that 1.5 years later, we would still be in the midst of a full-blown pandemic? And with lockdowns and a constant threat to the health of you and your loved ones, it can be difficult to find purpose and happiness in life.
Finding purpose won’t cure Covid but may well mitigate its effects and help you find more joy. As we face threats to our health, physical isolation, and financial loss, finding purpose may actually save lives.
So in this post, I’ll give you 5 practical tips that may help you find purpose during the pandemic. But first, let’s discuss why finding purpose is essential.
Why Finding Purpose Is Important?
Research shows that purpose in life increases a person’s overall well-being. It also improves both mental and physical health and lowers depression.
A strong feeling of purpose is associated with keeping the body and mind healthy and live longer lives. You feel more satisfied with your life when you know “what direction to go and what to do.”
You need to find what drives you to keep going, especially when things are tough. So, here are 5 tips that may help you with that:
1. Find Ways to Connect With Others
When you feel like you’re losing purpose, it can be a symptom of isolation. And as the social and community-driven beings that we are, we need to connect with others to feel good.
For example, some friends of mine broadcast live music on Facebook to connect with people and help them find joy during the lockdown.
Knowing that they enrich people’s lives with good singing and playing helps make their days feel more meaningful. And at the same time, people can request songs and leave comments in real-time to keep the conversation going.
2. Volunteer to Help Others
Another excellent way to find purpose during the pandemic is to volunteer and help others. You can reach out to different community organizations to offer your assistance.
Not only does this help the beneficiaries, but the volunteers themselves often experience enhanced mental and emotional well-being from performing volunteer services.
In addition, studies have shown that volunteering may reduce the onset of cognitive decline in older people and relate to lower rates of stress, depression, and loneliness.
3. Practice Gratitude
Counting your blessings and practice gratitude can help you feel more fulfilled and joyful, even in trying times like the pandemic.
Overall, a sense of awe and gratitude are associated with the purpose and desire to engage in altruistic behaviors to help others.
One of the best ways to practice gratitude is to write in a gratitude journal. Simply write down the things in life that you are grateful for before going to bed at night or when waking up in the morning.
You can always find something to be grateful for, even if it’s the “smallest things” you may have taken for granted, like your eyesight or ability to use your legs, having a roof over your head, etc.
Practicing gratitude will boost your spirits and remind you of the good things you already have, making you more resilient to infections and the feeling of losing purpose.
4. Start Planning for What’s Next
Even if it doesn’t feel like it right now, the pandemic will eventually end.
So, planning for what’s next can help your current circumstances feel less daunting and hopeless.
Prepare for recovery and ask yourself what you want to do next? Can you improve your home or work situation? Can you better and strengthen your relationships? Start planning for the future you want to create after Covid.
5. Implement Daily Exercise
I can’t state enough the importance of daily exercise if you want to get through the pandemic in good health and spirits.
Even if it’s only going out for a walk in nature, it’ll help clear your mind and boost your immune system. Exercise is known to increase endorphin levels, which will make you feel happier and more energized.
It’ll be easier to figure out what makes you tick and what gives your life meaning when you have lots of energy and a clear mind.
Over to You
Like with most things in life, there will be good days and bad days as the pandemic plays out. But if we adopt a positive attitude, we can control our response to the circumstances in a much better way. I hope using these 5 practical tips will help you find purpose during the pandemic and be in much better shape to handle what Covid throws at you.