How to Boost Positivity in the Strangest of Years

October, for some, isn’t a simple case of pumpkin-sprinkled fun. For many, the colder climes and darker nights can be mood altering, especially in light of the lingering lockdown measures and social distancing rules.

We want to help you make your autumn and winter as positive as possible and have come up with these tips to support a sunnier mood.

Look after your mind

Whilst all the physical efforts we’re making to maintain good health (sanitising hands, keeping our distance) are imperative for the safety of all, we all need to ensure our minds are not forgotten along the way. Ensure that, every single day, you spend time doing something that supports positive mental health. Enjoy the outdoors and fresh air at least once a day and invest in a mindfulness app; The Independent has created a great round-up of the best of them https://www.independent.co.uk/extras/indybest/gadgets-tech/phones-accessories/best-mindfulness-apps-a8217931.html and one of the Bounce team – who suffers from panic attacks and anxiety – swears by the Calm app https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/calm-meditation-and-sleep/id571800810 during those overwhelming moments. 

Look after your body

When the weather turns, it’s all too easy to reach for blanket, TV remote and a comforting, sugar-laden snack. Mood wise, this sort of food initially hits the spot, but the resulting slump will leave you feeling fatigued and fed up again. However with our new range, you don’t need to forgo the  sweet stuff, quite the opposite! Our delicious balls of everyday energy are available in a series of are-you-sure-they’re-good-for-you flavours, a particular Bounce team favourite is Maple Pecan which truly gives you the Autumn feels! The balls are high in fibre, high in protein and gluten-free. Even better news? Despite tasting like a guilty pleasure, they only contain 160 calories and are perfect to fuel your walk in the park, boost your mood (low blood sugar is no friend of the blues) and are neatly packaged to fit in your pocket or bag.

Look after your social life

With restrictions still firmly in place, it’s easy to throw your hands up and resign yourself to more weeks, even months, of isolation and, with your mood low, feel like giving up on making any effort to maintain social ties. But we’re telling you loudly and firmly, don’t give up! 

If you prefer to stay home, start accepting those invites for online quizzes and bingo nights. Remember that friend who said they were there for a chat if you needed a listening ear? Call them, they’re most likely feeling exactly like you. Write letters, send emails, comment on socials – just keep connecting.

If you’re confident being out and about, arrange a walk or outdoor lunch. After months spent largely inside, it might feel like a herculean activity, but once you’re out and reconnecting, your perspective will quickly change.

Promise to embrace autumn

Make a pledge with yourself to enjoy the forthcoming seasons, to make them as memory filled as you can in the circumstances. And, if you really want to push the boat out, yes, decorate the house with Halloween-themed items… you’re never too old for that.