What an awful world right now, how do you all keep positive ?

[RajaGemini]

The main thing being the pandemic, then 3 terrorist attacks in France in the past week in which people have been beheaded, more and more people diagnosed with cancer (in the media, Sarah Harding, Lisa from So Solid Crew, Tracey Emin to name a few)
House deposits rising, people's futures looking bleak.

Medication

Yeah, probably the case for a lot of people :( think I need a break from the news. It's pretty hard to escape coronavirus though even if you don't read the news, it's people's main topic of conversation at the moment.

Or every time you go outside you're reminded of what's going on due to mask-wearing, social distancing etc.

Agreed.

I do large complicated jigsaw puzzles for several hours at a time, go on long walks with DH when weather is ok, watch a LOT of television but not much news. There are lots of good series and box sets on streaming right now.

I'm trying out new recipes in my cooking and baking.

I'm staying distracted by all the above and it keeps me fairly relaxed.

Work is very busy right now too which helps even if not relaxing.

Wine.

And, on really bad days, gin.

Those are great ideas, i'll give them a try. Just need to keep telling myself that things can get better and just try to be optimistic.

I have deleted facebook and all news apps, my instagram is good and make up related.
Probably a bit head in the sand ish...it it's what I need!

Alcohol and reading light weight novels. Boy meets girl, they have a misunderstanding but it all works out in the end.
Takes my mind off this shitstorm.

Distraction, distraction, distraction. TV, films, books, cooking, writing, DIY. Having a Hallowe'en night on Saturday with pumpkins and spooky films, even though it's just me and DH here.

But it's difficult and this week has felt really grim and there are days when it all seems pointless

But it's difficult and this week feels really grim for some reason and there are days when it all seems pointless.

And wine, which I know is not the answer.

I listen to Kisstory really really loudly while I'm working from home as my DH isn't a fan of loud music. I eat a lot of crisps. I send "wine soon"? Messages to my friends. I cuddle my toddler a lot. I try and get lucky once a week or so. With my husband. Other than that, I'm out!

Sorry for confused post towards the end!

Make your world very small. I work (from home) collect or take DS to nursery (me and DH alternate) do a C&C shop once a week and usually go to the park or walks on a weekend. Family 200 miles away.

We cook a lot more, bake, read, do arrow words (😆) watch series, MN and generally try to avoid the news. We try to find little moments of happy every day. Tonight is lamb chilli, that’s currently making me happy.

I focus in my own little corner of the world - as a working single parent I have quite enough to worry about on the domestic front so just look after me and mine and, whilst I like to know roughly what's going on, I don't wallow in endless news. As above, reading, box sets, jigsaws, board games etc when I get down time.

I suffer terribly with anxiety and have done for years but this year has been particularly bad with everything which has been going on and some personal loses, it truly has been an awful year. But for me, being out in nature come rain or shine always grounds me. I can see that nature just gets on with it.

It's all falling to shit out there.

Memes. Stupid, silly, Instagram and TikTok memes are getting me through 2020.

I'm aware that I'm 41 years old but it's MY coping strategy.

Wine and gin. Not great but they take the edge off. And my ds10, I'm always happy when he's around

This little chap keeps me sane. He gives zero fucks for world events and lives in the moment for the cuddles , treats and walkies.

Long walks
My kids - taking them to the beach or woods
Novels
Great TV
Wine and fave chocolates
Hot baths
Trying not to worry too much about the future
Having faith that we will get a vaccine/good medicines to fight this thing. Am in admiration of scientists working around the clock

same way I kept positive after the Christmas Tsunami (more than 227,000 casualties...) after 9/11, after the London bombing, the London stabbing and being in South East London, I am still VERY sheltered from any major catastrophe and life-changing events even when terrorists attacks happened on my way to work.

Animals. I spend all day working with them and actually get to make a difference to their quality of life . Hard to be sad when you're being licked to death by puppies and head butted by purring cats. The trust they put in me, a complete stranger, never fails to amaze me.
On a practical note I make sure I work out everyday as feeling good physically goes hand in hand with good mental health for me. Oh and I rarely watch the news or use social media.

I'm on alot of anxiety medication due to relationship breakdown. I am also off all social media which really helps

struggling big time here, miss going to work every day (work from home), have anxiety about covid (asthmatic) and on top of that i'm waiting for biopsy results to tell me whether or not I may have cancer.

Positive is becoming harder for me to find at the moment but watching rubbish tv, going for a walk & playing with my kitten are helping

I find nature very healing (spiritually, mentally) too @Reesewitherknife

I limit my news intake. I come off Mumsnet quite often , at the start of all this I took the Mumsnet app off my phone - all the COVID threads were making me too anxious! Ditto Facebook.

I try and practice Mindfulness & stay in the moment.

If I feel the urge to stare at my phone I put something easy to read on my Kindle app (often a childhood favourite!)

I'm struggling right now. I was feeling okay before but I am so overwhelmed recently that it's beginning to get to me. I'll be making a list of all that I am grateful for while downing wine tonight. Not the answer but a start.