Change your mindset about quarantine with these 5 affirmations

Are you staying at home and feeling depressed that you can’t go anywhere? You’re not the only one!

With the pandemic worsening and our extended stay at home who knows when, it’s hard to remain optimistic. However, there are many things we can do to make this sedentary lifestyle (which is new to some) a little easier to adapt.

These are 6 common negative mindsets that many teens have and 6 positive affirmations to have instead. I hope you like them and apply these affirmations for a better lifestyle and routine!

1. I am safe at home

Instead of: “I’m stuck at home”

It’s so easy to think how boring confinement is, but let’s think about it. Isn’t it super lucky that you still have a stable roof over your head and enough food to eat? Plus, we’re so lucky to be staying peacefully and safe at home as many people fight this virus tirelessly (thank you to our heroic healthcare workers on the front lines).

I hope you don’t mind complaining, but try to slow down and be grateful for what you have and don’t have to deal with. I know it’s different for everyone, but there always has to be something to be grateful for in your life, right?

2. I will focus on what I can control and make my time at home meaningful

Instead of: “Quarantine sucks!”

Not being able to go out and have fun for too long doesn’t sound very pleasant. While we may not be able to instantly stop its spread (but together we can reduce it!), there are many things we can control and make our time at home more enjoyable. If you are experiencing mental difficulties or have had them for some time, now is the perfect time to take extra care of yourself. There are plenty of things you can put on your self-care menu. Here are some examples:

• Don’t check the news and social media too often.

• Eat mindfully and drink enough water.

• Use the time to think about why you’re having trouble, what you can do about it, and write it down!

• Be gentle with yourself. You do your best!

• Stay connected with your friends

• Ask for help if needed (if you want to chat with an active listener, I recommend 7cups).

• Before complaining about a situation, try to imagine three situations worse than the one you are facing. You’ll realize, “maybe it’s not so bad”.

Take good care of yourself! Remember, you are not alone.

3. I will do all those things I told myself I would do when I had time

Instead of: “I have nothing to do”

I’m pretty sure it wasn’t just during this time that we said to ourselves, ‘I have nothing to do’. I used to tell myself that every weekend, then I realized that I had totally wasted my precious time that I could have used for my hobby or practicing new skills.

Have you ever had something to do or start but you always tell yourself “I’ll do it when I have time”? Now you do! Why not use that time to do something useful, like developing your hobby, learning a new recipe, starting a remote project, writing an article, whatever you’ve always been waiting for time to do? It’s time! Let’s all make it worth it!

4. I will use my time wisely to benefit from it

Instead of: “Let’s just kill time”

“The key is not to spend time, but to invest it” – Stephen R. Covey

Okay, now we have time, what’s next? Blast Netflix, sleep more than 12 hours a day, play games from morning to night? Yes and no!

It’s obviously good to relax and have a little fun sometimes. I used to spend 2 weeks of summer vacation watching 9 seasons of “How I Met Your Mother” and eating junk food nonstop (Sorry, Mom). During that time, I didn’t care much about my daily routine and my health. My diet and sleep schedule were all turned upside down!

My 15 year old self didn’t know it, the line between self-love (through actions) and self-destruction is very thin. Yes, taking a break is essential, but it’s super important to know when to stop and get back to your regular routine.

Instead of devouring junk food day and night, why not use this time to try new healthy recipes? Instead of playing video games or binge watching Netflix, we can pick up a book, develop our hobby, or play a board game with our family. Temptations are hard to resist, but I believe we are all responsible enough to make bold decisions for ourselves. You can do it, I know you can!

5. It’s great that my friends, family and I are practicing good social distancing to keep each other safe!

Instead of: “It’s sad that I can’t go out and have fun”

Not being able to go out for a while doesn’t sound nice. Yet with the pandemic worsening, social distancing and staying home are the only actions most of us can do to reduce the spread. During a time like this, even the smallest acts, like being patient at home or wearing a mask when you go out, could have a big impact on flattening the curve of rising cases. Give yourself and your family and friends a *virtual* high-five for all the effort in the fight against this virus, big or small. Plus, there are lots of creative ways to have fun without going out, right? Here are some of mine:

• Try new trendy recipes like Dalgona coffee, puffed omelet, etc.
• Filming myself cooking and editing it as an ASMR cooking video on Youtube
• Create graphic designs like posters, infographics and vision boards on Canva
• Learn to dance by following Youtube videos
• bullet journal
• Sleep 🙂

Medium: Canvas

These are the 5 positive affirmations about self-quarantine that I think we should all have. Not only could it make your stay at home more enjoyable, but it could also motivate you to do something meaningful for yourself.

Thumbnail image: being mom and dani