The Big List of Good Things

It’s tough right now, hey? We hear you. As the situation around COVID-19 continues to evolve daily, it’s important that we find innovative ways to stay connected and calm. And without rejecting the seriousness of the situation, it’s also crucial for us to find the good in the everyday to protect our mental health. Thursday is the International Day of Happiness and this year’s theme is Happier Together, focusing on what we have in common, rather than what divides us. Togetherness has never been more important. So if you’re needing a boost of positivity, or just need some ways to while away your time in self-isolation, we’ve put together a giant list of feel-good things to help spread the love. Above all: keep your hands clean and your hearts open!

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Is your mind racing from stats, facts and toilet paper memes? The team at Ten Percent Happier has created the Coronavirus Sanity Guide – a roundup of meditations, podcasts, blog posts and talks to help you reduce anxiety, build resilience and find some calm amidst the chaos.

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“Stay awkward, brave, and kind. Love each other. Spread calm.” Brené Brown always knows the right thing to say. Read over her kind and comforting words, and remember that ‘We’re all we have’.

Stay awkward, brave, and kind. Love each other. Spread calm.

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If you’re chasing your culture fix, why not explore some of the world’s most famous museums from the comfort of your own home. Here is a roundup of 12 excellent options.

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When in doubt, sing. Listen to the Italians beat the virus blues, by singing uplifting songs from their balconies.

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Kitchen comfort: cooking good food soothes the soul and boosts your immune system. Whip up a batch of Magdalena Roze’s ‘Everything’ Turmeric Remedy Paste (pictured below), follow along with recipes from Queer Eye’s Antoni ‘Quar Eye: Cooking Lessons in Quarantine’, channel Grandma by simmering a pot of chicken bone broth from Well Nourished, use up your lentil supply with Veggie Mama and bookmark this round-up of simple, plant-based, pantry staple recipes from Minimalist Baker. Now is a great time to learn to use what you already have and incorporate zero waste food practises – Sarah Wilson’s Simplicious Flow e-book is a fantastic guide to changing your food habits for good. 

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Take comfort in knowing that we’re together in our isolation. Psychologist Cheri McDonald told Business Insider that remembering “we’re all in this together” can help. “If you’re feeling anxiety, lean on each other,” she said, adding that feeling connected and supported is good for the immune system, even if you must make those connections virtually. By contrast, she added, “fear erodes us and isolation erodes us.” Reach out, text old friends, make new online connections and give digital hugs until we can give real ones again.

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Join this online worldwide meditation as part of the International Day of Happiness, Thursday 18 March. This free meditation hosted by Dr Elise Bialylew, the founder of Mindful in May, will help you let go of stress and help reinforce that you are part of the greater whole. “Whether you’re new to meditation or more experienced, you’ll have an opportunity to come together in real time with people from around the globe, settle your nervous system, and tune into a place of calm and clarity”, says Dr Elise. While you’re at it, now’s the time to join Mindful in May, the world’s largest online mindfulness meditation campaign.

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Check in on your neighbours. Becky Wass was feeling a little helpless, and so designed a postcard aimed at helping people to look after their neighbours if they are self-isolating. Download the free template here, and read her story here.

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Share an uplifting Instagram account! How about your fave podcast? Or a happy song? We need to raise the vibes at the moment, and Emily Ehlers’ Instagram template ‘Alone Together’ is the perfect tool to reflect, connect and spread the love. As Emily says, “This isn’t about trying to “love and light” this shit away… it’s about giving a pep talk to the human spirit.”

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Snoozing isn’t losing… one of the simplest ways to protect yourself and boost your immune system, is to get some quality zzz’s. Australian sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo told news.com.au that we should be aiming for seven to nine hours of sleep a night to make sure we are fighting fit against viruses. “Evidence shows that lack of sleep impairs immunity: studies show a 70 per cent reduction in natural immune cells after four to five hours of sleep,” she said. “As a result, you aren’t able to fight off contagious viruses, such as corona, as effectively. Fortunately, this reduction is amended as soon as you have sufficient sleep.” Need help falling to sleep? Why not try one the free sleep meditations available on Insight Timer.

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“Busy hands and idle minds have knitted many a sweater; Busy minds and idle hands have knitted many a brow.” Children’s author Maryrose Wood clearly knows a thing or two about the connection between crafting and creating calm. If you’re looking for a project to keep your mind (and hands) occupied, may we suggest taking a look at our many free sewing patterns available via our website? You can download the patterns online and print them at home – it’s the ultimate #isolationcreation project! Get making and tag your creations with #peppermintpatterns.

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Time to upskill? Many courses and seminars have now moved online, so instead of binge watching every show EVER on Netflix (who are we to judge – reruns of Schitts Creek are the ultimate in laughter medicine), sign up to make the most of your alone time, all the while supporting companies who may have taken a financial hit from cancelling in-person events. Kylie Lewis from Ofkin is now running her Brene Brown ‘Dare To Lead’ workshops online, sustainable fashion event Legacy Summit is now virtual, Mother Down Under has online hypnobirthing classes for impending families, Maryann Talia Pau is holding online star weaving workshops and Milkwood are teaching the principles of permaculture and self-reliance – all streaming to your couch soon.

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Be gentle with those who may appear to be over-reacting. The ever-enlightening Elizabeth Gilbert had this to say recently:

“Let’s not judge people too fiercely for how they are reacting to this situation. It may be the case that people are overreacting, or it may be that they are under-reacting… it’s not my place to judge that. I don’t have all the answers and I can’t see into the future – no more than anybody else can. But I do know that when I add my condemnation to the conversation, it just ratchets up hysteria in a different way – and most of all, it’s not kind.

If you believe that somebody is overreacting, just try to remember that another word for “overreaction” is “fear”. Try to be compassionate, not contemptuous. We don’t all share the same fears, but we all know what fear feels like, and it’s a terrible sensation. I wouldn’t wish fear on anybody, and I know that a lot of people are genuinely afraid right now.

I have no way of knowing how many people are going to suffer physically from this virus, but I do know that millions of people are already suffering from it emotionally—and those people need love, not contempt. Those people are my brothers and sisters. Let me never forget my compassion for their anxiety, rather than telling them how they should or should not be feeling.”

Read more here.

Try to be compassionate, not contemptuous.

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Dancing is the ultimate mood booster. Whether you have twinkle toes or two left feet, you won’t want to miss out on the live daily Instagram dance parties hosted by dance pro Mark Kanemura featuring confetti, disco balls and feel-good music. Tune in and shake it off!

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Scroll through images of cute animals. Seriously. There is research that shows that looking at cute images is good for your physical and mental health. So permission to search cat videos granted. And no matter what day it is, check out Kuwaii’s #cutecritterfriday on Instagram.

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Music to our ears… World-famous musicians are streaming free, intimate concerts via Instagram in a heartwarming series called Together, At Home. Chris Martin of the band Coldplay played a mini gig at his house, and other artists have started jumping on board. Tune into sessions with P!NK, Rob Thomas and John Legend, and follow #togetherathome as more artists join in on the fun.

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When you need an uplifting watch, you can’t go past a Ted talk. Here’s our pick:

A love letter to realism in a time of grief – Mark Pollock and Simone George

A Holocaust survivor’s blueprint for happiness – Eddie Jaku

Be passionate. Be courageous. Be your best – Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly

Why do ambitious women have flat heads? – Dame Stephanie Shirley

Want to be happy? Be grateful – David Steindl-Rast

Living beyond limits – Amy Purdy

Why you should define your fears instead of your goals – Tim Ferriss 

Success, failure and the drive to keep creating – Elizabeth Gilbert

How to notice and build joy into your life – a Ted playlist

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And lastly, have hope with this beautiful poem from Laura Kelly Fanucci.