For many of us, the Coronavirus pandemic has turned our lives upside-down.
Yes, much of our lives are filled with worry and uncertainty. And for others, tragedy and hardship.
But despite what’s happening in your life — whether you are personally affected by this pandemic or not — we want to shed some light on the GOOD that is taking place during this difficult period.
It doesn’t ERASE the bad, but it may give us some light and comfort in this otherwise very dark time.
Just to give you a few examples, here are a few positives that you may or may not be aware of:
The planet is healing
The air is getting clearer. Waterways are suddenly clean again. Animals are roaming freely. In fact, I believe our planet is in better shape than it’s been in a long time.
We are slowing down and rejuvenating
Since we’ve all been forced to slow down and to focus on living in the present and taking things one day at a time, it’s kind of like we got the much-needed break that so many of us have been craving.
We are connecting with friends and family
How many of you have found yourselves finally connecting and having time to chat with family and friends on video calls now that many of us are at home and our schedules aren’t overfilled?
You can’t put a price tag on having more quality time to devote to our loved ones.
If nothing else, this pandemic has given us a greater appreciation for the little things in life, and it’s made us realize that there’s a lot of “stuff” that really doesn’t matter.
But do you want to know my favorite positive change that I see? Read on to find out…
Spread Love, Not Germs
Some people are taking the idea of spreading positivity to the next level by using this time to share kindness, inspire and uplift others, and to put good energy out into the universe.
So today, I want to honor the people who are going above and beyond to make lemons out of lemonade.
These people are not “super-heroes,” millionaires, or famous people — these are your ordinary, friendly, neighborhood kind of people who have taken the time to share their light and hope with others.
Here are 7 examples of how humanity is pulling together to inspire and uplift others:
If nothing else, this pandemic has given us a greater appreciation for the little things in life. Here are 7 examples of how humanity is pulling together to inspire and uplift others. Click To Tweet
1. Dinosaur Parade
A group of neighbors in Milwaukee wanted to have a little extra fun with social distancing, so they organized a dinosaur parade, where they all dressed up in inflatable dinosaur costumes and walked through the streets, and the onlookers couldn’t get enough.
People cheered and took photos as the parade passed by their homes. Nothing says “lighthearted” like a bunch of grown adults dressed up like dinosaurs!
In Milwaukee, a group of neighbors wanted to raise spirits during the lockdown.
So they held an inflatable dinosaur parade. Each one wobbled down the street, six feet apart.
It was basically the best thing ever.#Kindness
(? @mdesisti) pic.twitter.com/ki2xp90pbc
— Goodable (@Goodable) March 25, 2020
2. Tree Huggers
We may not be able to hug each other right now, but forestry rangers in Iceland found a creative alternative. They’re hugging trees and encouraging others to give it a shot as well!
One Icelandic Ranger said, “When you hug [a tree], you feel it first in your toes and then up your legs and into your chest and then up into your head. It’s such a wonderful feeling of relaxation and then you’re ready for a new day and new challenges.”
There’s actually some science behind hugging, even if it’s a tree. Just don’t do it so much because you might look a little odd!
“It’s such a wonderful feeling of relaxation and then you’re ready for a new day and new challenges.” https://t.co/liwOCESd5W
— TreeHugger.com (@TreeHugger) April 18, 2020
3. Social Distancing Happy Hour
We may not be able to hit happy hour at our favorite bars or restaurants these days, but people are still holding neighborhood happy hours right now — keeping 6-ft apart, of course!
Here are some of the images from social media:
Our neighborhood started a social distancing happy hour each night. Here’s to Night 2! pic.twitter.com/IZGx3O2kRU
— Laura Buchtel (@Laura_Buchtel) March 17, 2020
Social distancing happy hour with my neighbors. Finding fun where we can. pic.twitter.com/kiECnsuckF
Social distancing happy hour with my neighbors. Finding fun where we can. pic.twitter.com/kiECnsuckF
— Kristin H Rosengren (@RosenKris) March 17, 2020
Mom sent a picture of how their street is socializing pic.twitter.com/NsDxMyAGXt
— caveheraa (@caveheraa) March 17, 2020
[Disclaimer: I know the above sounds fun and all. But please remember to respect and follow your local policies on social distancing. Not all places allow non-essential activity outside.]
4. Dogs Finally Found Forever Homes
Many people have adopted or are fostering animals since they now have the time to spend at home with them.
Check out this video of a Friends of Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control, a pound that is empty for the very first time!
5. Dad’s Ski Resort
When his kids were bummed about not being able to hit the slopes, this clever dad built them their own ski lift and slope right in the backyard.
The best part is, they didn’t need snow gear!
6. Walking Laps For Frontline Workers
Have you heard about the British war veteran, Tom Moore, who walked 100 laps around his garden to celebrate his 100th birthday? He started the challenge hoping to raise £1,000 pounds for frontline healthcare workers, but he ended up raising £19 million after his challenge went viral.
7. Famous Faces Spreading Cheer
Even celebrities are getting in on the kindness and positivity and are using their popularity to spread goodness!
In this video, Matthew McConaughey played bingo on Zoom with a bunch of nursing home residents.
Neil Diamond changed up the lyrics to Sweet Caroline to give people a laugh, and also to remind us to take social distancing seriously.
Singer and actress Lizzo even hosted her own meditation session on Instagram.
View this post on Instagram
Now, that I’ve shared some examples, I hope you realize one thing about the person you decide to show up as in the world — no matter how difficult any situation can be — and that is:
It doesn’t matter who you are — you always have a CHOICE.
The way we choose to react during this time all comes down to a matter of mindset.
You can choose to stay in your fear-based mind, take a “woe is me” approach… Or….
You can take action in spite of fear, share kindness, inspire and uplift others, put good energy out into the universe, and better yourself and others around you.
Remember: what you focus on expands, so by focusing on the GOOD, by choosing to do GOOD, and creating more GOOD, you’ll end up with more of it.
Spread kindness, do your part to uplift others, and when this is all over, you’ll know that you have the power to turn any situation into something great, as long as you react in a way that serves you.
The way we choose to react during this time all comes down to a matter of mindset. You can choose to stay in your fear-based mind, OR you can take action in spite of fear, share kindness, inspire and uplift others. Click To Tweet
The Purpose Of Our Lives Is To Add VALUE to Others
This is a crucial time in our lives where we have been given an opportunity to put a little more good out into the world and to help people.
It’s like I’ve said before,
Nothing in nature is here without a reason. That includes us. That includes me. That includes you. We each have a reason for being alive at this place at this time, and that reason is called our personal purpose, or our mission.
We may not be in control of the current crisis in the grand scheme of things, but when it comes to how we react to it and the actions we choose to take each and every day to make our lives better and to benefit the lives of others, we undoubtedly have the upper hand.
Always remember that above everything else, love and compassion always wins. And remember this,
The purpose of our lives is to add value to other people; to help them, support them. That extends from your family to the greater human family—or as many people as you can possibly reach. The value you add is your personal way of doing it.
By humanity pulling together for the greater good, we’ll come out of this period of time even more united than when we started.
For your freedom,
P.S. How are you making the best of this difficult situation? Have you found any kind and creative ways to spread positivity? We’d love to hear from you — share a comment below!
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