A-Z of Lockdown Happiness

As sweeping lockdowns envelop the nation where I live, I’ve curated the following effective practices that you can implement to increase your physical and mental happiness. 

These are all free (or close enough to) and can be done with little or no equipment. When thinking about our mental health, it’s easy to forget that both happiness and depression start from small seeds and grow into grand forests. Just as people grieve together in sorrow, the simple act of smiling at a stranger can start a chain reaction of human happiness. Find happiness brimming and overflowing within yourself and you'll notice how infectiously it spreads to others. 

Nothing better than skipping a few stones

Here’s my A - Z of Lockdown Happiness

• Act independently, take charge of yourself

• Body weight exercises, can be done anywhere and anytime

• Curate an adventurous diet with exotic new foods

• Drink more water

• End any negative cycles

• Find quiet time for yourself away from screens and sounds

• Give something, everyone loves impromptu gifts

• Host an online event

• Interact with animals, or bird-watch

• Journal your thoughts, to help catalog and develop ideas

• Knead and bake some bread

• Learn an instrument 

• Master one of your existing skills

• Narrate a life story, immortalise your history

• Occupy your time with productive tasks 

• Phone friends and family

• Question your existing assumptions and beliefs

• Reflect on the past, present and future

• Set goals and objectives, hold yourself accountable

• Tidy up, make room for more

• Unpack your irrational fears

• Volunteer your time or skills to help those less fortunate

• Walk a new path everyday

• X-onerate yourself from past mistakes 

• Yell at the top of your lungs

• Zzz… get consistent and quality sleep