Purple Space Blog

6 Things You Can You Can Do increase smiles 🙂

Although COVID-19 has restricted many from having fun in large crowds to allowing them to visit their loved ones it has opened some doors in terms of exploring interests.

At the start of quarantine, many people had taken interest in new hobbies to keep them entertained which for some may have led to a possible career interest or surprised them with a new source of happiness.

However, the pandemic has also caused doors to be closed since many possible interests have now been restricted to only indoor or socially limited outdoor activities

Outdoor activities may have been your main source of happiness, so what can you do during this time to replace your pre-covid sources of happiness while also being safe?

Well, according to a survey that I conducted to find out what has kept people happy during this pandemic here are some of the things that they said. 

1. Arts & Crafts

Arts & Craft projects have definitely kept me busy for most of the quarantine and even now.

There are multiple mediums one can explore when it comes to art such as drawing, painting, film-making, woodworking, and more! 

Most of the time, I stay indoors and am for the most part sedentary so doing hands-on activities has been most entertaining which is why I started painting.

Painting has not only entertained me but also been an outlet for me to express my emotions. I noticed that when I am feeling upset or angry my paintings perceive what I am feeling which is conveyed either through its style or the color palette used. 

According to the survey that I conducted, another person who also felt happiness through Arts & Craft said “I enjoy doing arts and crafts and always have ever since I could hold a pencil. I think it gave me some time to ease the loneliness I felt, and looking back on it before the pandemic I was busy and no longer doing what I loved. So I do think both arts and crafts were crucial in making me feel better about the pandemic.”

According to what this person said, Arts & Craft had been a crucial part of making them feel better during this pandemic and provided them comfort when feeling lonely. In addition, another person said this about Arts & Crafts,

“I’ve also been using arts and crafts to help me fill my time such as necklace making!”

For both surveyors, art has been a space to fill their free time and was enjoyable.

2. Reaching Out to Friends and Family Through Technology

Feeling lonely is a common feeling that people in the survey had expressed as being the main emotion felt during this pandemic. 

Because COVID-19 has restricted many from visiting their loved ones or meeting friends in large crowds many alternatives from face-timing, google meets, and zoom calls have become very popular as substitutes. 

While movie nights may not feel as fun as before it can definitely be substituted by having Netflix Parties or screen sharing a movie via Zoom or Google Meet with your friends. Even game nights can be substituted!

Alternatives such as Scribbl.io, Cards Against Humanity, and Among Us have become popular amongst people. 

As stated in this article that discusses the importance of building a supportive network of family and friends,

“It is important to surround ourselves with family and friends for support and comfort in both times of joy and distress.”

Sometimes being away from people for a long period of time can cause us to feel used to loneliness which in the long run can damage us. 

3. Listening To Music 

When listening to music that you enjoy you can feel emotions of happiness, excitement, sadness, and so much more. Thus, music can be the gateway to exploring our underlying feelings which makes it such a crucial part of our life. 

According to an article published by Northwestern Medicine that discusses how music can help with coping during covid, which can be found here, music is proven to release a chemical called dopamine in the brain which can give your brain a sense of pleasure and boost your mood. 

A response I received in the survey said,

“Listening to upbeat music or any of my favorite songs just keeps me in a good mood. Or even sad songs, listening to them makes me feel better.”

What makes this response so impactful is the fact that listening to sad music can even make someone feel better.

It may seem ironic but it’s actually true!

Sad songs can allow us to express our underlying emotions and can be very relieving. 

So try exploring different genres of music that will fit your taste, and make you feel amazing! There are loads of different genres you can try out from Rock, Jazz, Pop, Blues, Classical, Indie, and so much more. 

4. Adopting A Pet

The popular phrase “A dog is a man’s best friend” is used to describe the close relationship someone has with their dog and just as the phrase says a dog or really any pet can really be someone’s best friend. 

For me, my pet cat Bebe has definitely been my best friend.

My family adopted him last year in June during quarantine and he was only 4 weeks old at the time. My family has loved him since and he is currently 10 months.

He has provided my family with genuine happiness and love, and we cherish every minute with him. 

A response I received from my survey regarding pets says,

“I took it upon myself to get a dog because I feel like any animal can brighten your day with just a glance of them”

and I strongly agree with them, because with my cat’s presence my days have felt much better than they had been without him. 

Loneliness has been a very common feeling during this pandemic so having someone beside you such as a beloved pet is very assuring and comforting. For me, it has been my main source of happiness.

5. Watching TV

For some watching TV provides them with entertainment, and because the TV offers a vast variety of genres, there is a higher chance for people to find the right show for them. This is also why it is such a popular source of entertainment. 

However for some people, it is a source of distraction, as one of the surveyors says, they like watching tv because it helps them to avoid the horrible reality we are living in and for them watching tv lets them live in a non-pandemic world. 

Because TV shows have the ability to make someone feel emotions such as sadness and anger it proves that they can be highly influential.

Since we are able to feel emotions when watching TV, watching “feel-good” shows can make you feel good as well.

It is recommended by surveyors to watch funny and happy shows or movies during this pandemic because sometimes we need a good laugh or smile. 

As a recommendation, using IMDb is super helpful with finding shows based on genres and reviews. The link to multiple genres that you can check out on IMDb is https://www.imdb.com/feature/genre/?ref_=nv_tv_gr.

6. Sharpening Your Cooking Skills

This pandemic has awakened the inner chef in many of us. With people staying at home more often in comparison to pre-covid, more meals have been made at home. 

Cited by a report done by Kansas State University food safety specialist, Karen Blakeslee, “70% of U.S. households are now the central food preparation spot for 80% of meals.”

The results of this report which is discussed here were made with data from this pandemic and what was found was that a majority of U.S households are now where most of the meals are prepared. 

This has been a good thing since it’s a healthier alternative than eating outside, and also allows people to explore different flavors and recipes in the comfort of their home which they might have not been able to experience when eating outside. 

In addition, Blakeslee also says that cooking at home with family can bring people together and increase family time.

It can also become a fun hobby for someone since cooking can also be a way for them to experiment with new flavors, ingredients, and recipes. 

As some surveyors said, cooking has been a source of happiness for them since they were able to learn new cooking styles which for them was interesting. 

Some Final Words 

The multiple ways that have kept people happy during this pandemic that were listed above are only just some of the main and popular things shared in the survey by the surveyors.

A lot of the specific responses were mentioned and some of these that were shared were ice skating, gaming, meditating, reading, exercising, and playing an instrument. 

A way to find out what makes you happy is by trying out an assortment of interests, and you can start with what has been mentioned in this article! 

In addition to what has been shared in my survey, multiple pieces of advice for anyone who may be feeling down during this pandemic were shared. Some of these amazing pieces of advice and tips will be listed below!

“Remember, you’re not alone!! We will all go through this together ❤️.”

“Everything happens for a reason. We can’t control everything that happens, we just learn from it. I’m so proud of you and I love you!”

“I know it’s cliche, but know and remember that it does get better in the future! Think about what you wish to accomplish in the future and let that serve as a motivation for you!”

“I hope you are getting through this difficult time well! You already worked really hard today, take a break and do something you love!”

“Read/watch/do something that’s super interesting to you. Something that’ll get you to forget all the stress that’s surrounding you, even if it’s for a short period of time, it still helps.”

“Find the little things that make you happy and always keep in contact with your friends or more distant family. <3”

“Try seeking help and go talk to your parents or other people that you are comfortable talking to about your feelings of being down. Also, try socializing and talking to some people on the internet about your feelings (if comfortable) since some internet people are really supportive and nice actually.”

“Just focus on yourself.”

As a final word, I would like to say thank you so much to anyone who has responded to my survey, your input was greatly appreciated. Stay safe, and take care of yourself!