51 Awesome Things About the Pandemic (Yes, Really!)

These days, it’s easy to get weighed down by all the pessimism and despair associated with the coronavirus pandemic, the lockdown, and the faltering economy. The human brain is hardwired for negativity, so we’re naturally on the alert for anything that could threaten our survival. Even in the darkest times, however, you can train your brain to actively seek out the positive as a way to balance that negativity bias and boost your mood.

Amen Clinics polled its employees and patients to find the little glimmers of hope and happiness that are lifting people up during these trying times.

Here are 51 good things they said have come out of the pandemic. How many good things can you find in your life?

1. “It’s been a blessing getting to spend more time with my kids, who both came back home from college.”
2. “My husband normally works really long hours at the office, so he never really noticed how bad our son’s ADD was. Since he’s been working from home due to the pandemic and seeing our son all day long, he finally realized that he seriously needed treatment. So we took him in for a full evaluation, including a brain scan. We learned his ADD type and have started treatment, and it’s working! If my husband hadn’t been working from home, it might have taken years for me to convince him to get our son evaluated.”
3. “I absolutely love getting to hang out with my dog all day.”
4. “My spouse and I have really reconnected on a deeper level since the lockdown began. We’re talking more about things that are actually important rather than just our daily to-do lists.”
5. “Being forced to break my old routines has helped me see that I’m not stuck in my old ways. I can change. It’s made me feel more empowered to make positive changes in my life.”
6. “I’ve been walking a lot more. I know it’s good for my health, but it’s also really good for my mood, which is great for someone like me with depression. I feel a lot more energized and a lot more upbeat after I do it.”
7. “No more hellish commute to work. I can start my day without all that aggravation. It’s so much better for my mindset.”
8. “I pick up some groceries each week for my elderly neighbor, and it makes me feel like I’m doing something positive.”
9. “I always thought I was a terrible cook, but I’ve been spending more time in the kitchen and am actually getting pretty good at it.”
10. “Everything in my life was always such a rush, but now it feels like I’m allowed to slow down a bit. I feel like I can breathe again, and I like it.”
11. “I used to just drive to work then drive home and shut the front door. I never really knew any of my neighbors and felt kind of isolated. I’ve started walking more and am getting to know my neighbors, and it’s really nice. I’ve got more of a sense of community like we’re all in this together.”
12. “I’m an introvert, and I’m loving not having to make small talk with people all day long. I didn’t realize how stressful that was for me.”
13. “I’ve kind of fun wearing cute face masks that show my personality.”
14. “I’m realizing how important the little things in life are, like that feeling you get when you score some disinfectant wipes at the store.”
15. “I have more time for self-care because I’m not spending 2 hours a day commuting to and from work.”
16. “In my neighborhood, a family of musicians has been holding Friday evening front-porch concerts. Everyone is wearing a mask and physical distancing, but it’s such a treat.”
17. “There are some really great TV series and movies I’m discovering.”
18. “I’m learning to embrace my ‘quarantine hair’ and not worry so much about the gray.”
19. “I’ve been meaning to address my depression and anxiety for a long time, but I always made the excuse that I couldn’t take time off from work to do it. But since I’m only working part-time now, I decided to finally get a brain scan and find the root cause of my issues. It’s really been life-changing.”
20. “I’ve been reading more books.”
21. “We don’t have any of those obnoxious door-to-door salespeople banging on the door anymore.”
22. “It’s so nice seeing kids’ chalk drawings on the sidewalks. It reminds me of my own childhood.”
23. “I’ve discovered podcasts. I listen while I’m doing my home workouts.”
24. “I’m so glad I don’t have to fill up the car with gas every week.”
25. “It’s so great not having to take the subway to work.”
26. “I never forget to take my lunch to work.”
27. “What a relief to not have to put on makeup every day.”
28. “I’ve been redecorating the house and making it feel more like ‘me.’”
29. “I’ve been taking more naps.”
30. “Unless I have a Zoom meeting for work, I’ve been living in comfy sweats.”
31. “The return of game nights with the family—it’s like old-fashioned fun. If I’d suggested this to my kids 6 months ago, there’s no way they would have done this.”
32. “I planted a little garden, and I’m loving seeing it grow.”
33. “I’m feeling more grateful for the little things these days. Just waking up and feeling healthy is something to appreciate.”
34. “I’m actually talking to some of my friends and family more often thanks to FaceTime and Zoom.”
35. “I’ve gotten to celebrate birthdays with friends who live far away on Zoom.”
36. “I feel like I finally have time to focus on some of those goals that I’ve been meaning to get to.”
37. “There are so many online courses and trainings that are being offered for free now that I’m getting to learn some new skills.”
38. “We’ve finally been getting to some of those home improvements we’d been putting off for so long.”
39. “It’s kind of cool how much money you can save by learning to cut and color your own hair.”
40. “How great is grocery store delivery? Why didn’t I know about that earlier?”
41. “I never used to be able to afford to go to conferences because of the travel costs, but now I can attend virtually without the added airfare and hotel expenses.”
42. “We’ve got more time to focus on creative hobbies. I’ve been writing more, and my spouse is getting back into painting.”
43. “I always wanted to be more consistent with meditation, and now I can use the time I would have spent doing my hair and makeup in the morning to meditate. I’ve been doing it every morning, and it really helps me throughout the entire day.”
44. “It sounds really basic, but since I’m not around the soda vending machines at work, I’ve been drinking more water, and it actually makes a big difference.”
45. “The best thing for me has been growing a beard so I don’t have to shave every day.”
46. “There have been several car ‘parades’ to celebrate kids’ birthdays in the neighborhood. What a great idea! I hope that’s a trend that sticks around even after the pandemic is over.”
47. “It really warms my heart that more people are adopting shelter animals.”
48. “I’m so glad that as a society we’ve reduced carbon emissions and we’ve had cleaner air.”
49. “Being able to see my therapist from the comfort of my own home using video therapy has been so helpful for me.”
50. “I like that so many restaurants are doing outdoor dining now.”
51. “Two words: road trips! We’ve been taking drives for weekend getaways where we’re isolated from others but out in nature. It’s my favorite thing that’s come out of this whole mess.”

Depression, anxiety, ADD/ADHD, and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time.

At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.