On March 20 International Day of Happiness. When I talk about it in classes I teach at university, some students tell me that they feel nervous, irritable, sad, and unmotivated. “How would I be fine in the confinement situation we are still living in? Is it possible for you to be so happy?

Fortunately, the answer is yes: it is possible. Sonya LobormerskyUCSD, a positive psychology expert, has determined that the level of happiness is 50% dependent on genetics. 40% of our control and 10% of life’s conditions.

That is, 40% of our happiness depends on the things we do on purpose. One of those things could be taking care of our mental health, which takes awareness and dedication. It involves doing things. How can we take care of him to feel better?

The importance of optimism

The first recommendation is to cultivate an optimistic attitude. Various studies show this optimism It directly affects health.

This does not mean that you have to think that everything will be fine. All it is about is confidence in the possibilities, and focus on what is controllable. To do this, we must think of Explanatory style. How do we explain the things that happen to us?

To verify this, you can think of something negative that has happened in the last few weeks and consider it a failure. Then write down why you think it happened and analyze it. Are the consequences of this failure permanent or temporary? Was it due to personal factors or beyond your control? Does this failure affect your whole life or only a specific region?

Faced with a negative situation, an optimistic person will give a temporary connotation. He will refer the problem to a specific area and identify the personal factors that have contributed to its occurrence.

If you find your explanations pessimistic, you can ask yourself other questions. Is there evidence that what you think is correct? Is it useful to think this way? What other methods are available to view the position?

Real personal relationships

Second, it is important to take care of real personal relationships. As Tal Bin Shahar, Ph.D. in Psychology and Professor at Harvard University, the more hours we spend on social media, the more lonely we feel. do not forget it Loneliness is a leading indicator of depression.

For this reason, it’s also important to schedule moments of technological disconnection and spend quality time with the people you interact with, and to listen deeply: maintain eye contact, prioritize understanding, not just answering, and asking constructive and appreciative questions about what they are explaining.

Prioritize “today”

Constant thinking about what will happen in the uncertain future creates anxiety. On the other hand, staying grounded in what life was like before this situation can lead to depression. In this case, the optimal position for mental health is the focus today, for the time being, on identifying the personal challenges that must be faced. Therefore, allocate a portion of the daily time to obtain them.

It is important to set a realistic medium-term personal growth goal and specific goals to achieve it. To create this technique Clever. By its abbreviation in English, it means that it should be about a specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound purpose.

Practice generosity

Psychologist Christopher Peterson (1950-2012) stated that to be happy, we must bear in mind three words: “Others matter.”

True happiness is achieved when we live a purposeful and tolerant life. Life is, after all, at the service of a cause greater than the self. In fact, according to various studies, Exercising generosity makes us happier.

Deeds of generosity can be devoted to known or unknown people. Plus, they could have a relationship with helping someone or just spending time or saying good morning.

Be thankful

Martin Seligman, a prominent representative of positive psychology, explains that people tend to spend more time thinking properly about the bad things in life.

To combat it, he suggests thinking about what went well I feel grateful. This does not mean stopping seeing problems, but being aware of the positive aspects of daily life and giving thanks for them.

It doesn’t have to be extraordinary things. It can be about simple details: receiving good news, enjoying coffee, meeting someone you appreciate, enjoying a sunny day …

Mental, but also physical health

Along with these tips, body care is essential. Mental health is developed on the basis of three main pillars: A healthy diet, physical activity and maintaining adequate sleep.

These are some practical things you can do to improve your mental health and feel happy, despite the situation we are still in. Do you dare to try it?