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Stay Positive to Help Yourself — and Others — Through This Stressful Time

During stressful and uncertain times, it’s normal to feel anxious and scared. Chances are, most people around you feel it, too. It’s easy to infect each other with anxiety and fear, but we can take steps to protect ourselves from these emotional contagions. To start, cut down on how often you engage in venues where fear feeds on itself, such as social media, cable news, and frenzied conversations with friends and coworkers. Do your best to distinguish between people who are speculating and those who have sound information. Also, take care of your mental health. This means exercising, practicing mindfulness and meditation, volunteering, and seeking out positive, high-quality connections with others — even if they’re virtual. Simple wellness practices like these will help you build resilience and positivity, and maybe pass some along to the people in your life.

This tip is adapted from “The Contagion We Can Control,” by Sigal Barsade