3 Ways to Help Stay Sane in a Global Pandemic

Whether or not we saw it coming, it only took a matter of days for our worlds to be turned upside down and shaken out. One day you have a job…the next day, you’re struggling to get unemployment. One day you’re eating lunch together with friends at school…the next day, you’re isolated at home. One day you’re hugging your grandparents…the next day, you’re waving at them through the window.

It’s not easy to go through change, darkness, and difficult situations when you have to face it alone.

We turn to social media to artificially fill the void we have for community and connection, but a lot of times all we get are people screaming their personal vendettas and seductive conspiracy theories. It leaves our hearts heavier than before, breeds fear in our soul, and drains the hope from our veins.

Here’s the secret they don’t want you to know: Your mind is the battleground. How you think is how you’ll act. In the war for sanity in an unstable world, here are 3 ways to help you get ahead of the curve:

I. Feed Faith, Not Fear

Be relentless—you wouldn’t eat poisonous junk food, so don’t fill your mind with it either. If you are following accounts on social media that are stirring up anxiety within your heart by the propaganda or attitudes they portray, it’s okay to unfollow them. If the news is stressing you out, turn it off; ask a friend or family member to tell you if there’s anything important that you need to know instead. Instead of frantically searching for some sort of meaningful connection to the world, take a pause and ground yourself in Scripture. Read God’s promises to you, and let Him bring peace to your soul. Feed your faith, starve your fears.

II. Don’t “Let It Goooo”

Let go of the fears, yes, but now is not the time to let yourself go. Create a schedule for your day, even if you’re stuck at home. Get up at a reasonable time, spend time journaling and in prayer. Drink your water, take your vitamins, stretch and strengthen your body. Take a shower, put on your makeup, style your hair. Are there days when lounging in pajamas is okay? Yes! But every day? No! If you still want to be productive during this time, you have to be the one to take care of yourself. Dress for success, friends…even if no one else will see you.

III. Create Meaningful Connection

Although social media can give us a glimpse into others’ lives, simply scrolling through the posts won’t give you the connection you crave. You have to be intentional and creative in cultivating true connection. If you are on social media, don’t just scroll—take an action, like leaving an encouraging comment, sharing a post that encouraged you with someone else, or letting someone know how much their platform has inspired you. Be sure to take your connection beyond the feed, too—write a letter, send a BrightBox, give groceries/tea/cookies via online grocery shopping. Set up a virtual video coffee date with friends, or send a text message to check in with how your loved ones are doing. Make a list of ideas, so when you’re feeling down, you can have action steps to reach out to others. Spreading sunshine to someone else is what will brighten your own day, too.

Together, we’ll get through this. Just because we’re isolated, doesn’t mean we’re doing this alone. Yeshua has given us abundant life…and that hasn’t changed. We just have to be intentional and creative to live within that promise these days.