How Spreading Positivity Can Help Us Cope With the Global Pandemic

On a cool spring evening, in the middle of April, I stood under the floodlights on the side of the track, waiting for the second leg of my 4X4 relay team to finish his lap and pass the baton. With only 75 meters left, my teammate was booking down the last stretch. Arms flapping in the wind, kicking and giving his absolute best. 

Then all of a sudden, a break in his step, and a tumble. He fell over, twisting his ankle, and we failed to complete the race, losing the county championship, and ending our season. The bus ride home was pin-drop silent. All until my coach started speaking. “We just need to work harder and get ‘em next time. We are strong and we can do this” Almost like a magic spell, the mood changed, and we set our eyes towards a better future. 

The fact of the matter is, hardship is universal. Whether it is a track season cut short or a bad grade on an assessment, there are problems we have that can drastically affect our mood. Writing this during the Coronavirus outbreak, it can be hard to stay optimistic in a gloomy environment. However, staying cheerful and striving to spread positivity to the people in your community can have a plethora of benefits and can truly help abolish bad energy. 

Spreading positivity makes a huge impact. You can never tell what someone is going through. Although they may present a happy exterior, it is often that someone can be going through a difficult time. By staying positive we are able to make the difference in someone’s life that they might very much need. 

The people in my life who have helped me through my tough times are the people who I credit for a large change in my life. Some of my closest friends including Skyler, Anudeep, and Gurveer, did nothing but create happy surroundings and allowed me to make the necessary mental changes to set myself up for the future. Through those changes I made, I was able to better understand how important it is to stay happy but also how imperative it is to share the gift of happiness to the people around me. 

Spreading cheer is a rather simple task and can be accomplished in several areas of your life and in many ways:

Pick-me Ups

If you are to see someone who is in a bad mood. Simply asking them what is wrong can be the start of a new life for them and possibly even a new friendship. Every time I see someone at school or during a practice looking down, I try my best to talk to them and try to help them work out whatever has killed their mood. Even if I am not able to solve their problem, that person now knows they have someone who will be there for them and that is just as important. 

The Word “Thank-You”

Expressing words of gratitude is a very easy way to appreciate someone for the work they put in to help you out. Whether it is with a tough school assignment, or someone just holding the door open for you, just saying even a small “thank you” is very important. It allows the person to understand that their actions have not gone unnoticed. By promoting that generous behavior, that person is likely to do that action again. It is simple psychology. 

Staying Connected

It is always important to stay connected. Ideally, connections should be maintained in person, but if that is limited, like during quarantine, you can stay connected digitally. Expressing your emotions towards others you care about is critical in maintaining beneficial connections. For example, recently I have used Facetime to my advantage by often communicating with friends and family.  

Smile

I have been told my entire life by my parents to present myself with a smile. In fact it has gone to the point where I make sure I always have a smile on when there are other people in the room. By presenting yourself with a smile you have a psychological impact on others in which their mood will slightly increase. It is simple science. 

Spreading positivity is quite honestly not a choice but a necessity in today’s world. It is saddening that so many people all around you are experiencing problems of some sort, but that does not mean we cannot make a change. I was raised on ideals of community and service and I feel that acts of spreading positivity is just another way to contribute to the betterment of the people around me. To bestow kindness on others is the simplest form of service as it allows you to improve that person’s situation while creating good karma for yourself. 

Spreading positivity can make the difference. It is so effortless yet the impact it can have makes it worth the while. Spreading cheer and joy to your community is extremely important and it should be made a daily part of your life.

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Jerome Poravanthattil will be entering his senior year at Robbinsville High School in Robbinsville Township, N.J. One of his greatest passions is running. He is a member of the school’s cross country and track team.