In this time of uncertainty, the most frequently asked question I get is “things are crazy, how are you doing?” I always answer by saying “I’m thriving!” Well, considering outside circumstances, it is the truth I know. 

Was I anxious when the pandemic was declared? Absolutely! Do I have those moments of chronic worrying? You bet! However, I intentionally choose to quickly turn any fears into the momentum I need to continue through with my goals. 

I began to journal out a list of traits and qualities that luckily aging has shown me and helped me thrive. And I’m sharing these with you in hopes of making my contribution to a more positive world during the pandemic. 

1. Sincerity: Be sincere and follow your true values, priorities and beliefs. Don’t try to be someone that you are not, online or offline. Just be yourself and impress others with your unique gifts. Whether you are rocking all your Zoom calls or you are simply surviving homeschooling five kiddos, you are unique and you are amazing!
2. Being wholehearted: Be enthusiastic regarding everything you are doing. So what if you are only watering your plants in the backyard? Whole heartedly devote yourself to doing so and think of the contribution you are making to your garden. So what if you are running back and forth between the kiddo’s laptop and your own work laptop, you are incredible!
3. Positive attitude: A positive attitude makes us open to any opportunities that may come our way. I make a conscious decision each morning as I rise to be that person to radiate positivity and never let go of any opportunity even when it first seems to be obstacles. It is these opportunities that we otherwise don’t see that will help us climb our success ladder. And by success I mean only your own definition of success, not someone else’s definition of success.
4. Good judgment: Show good and fair judgment in media intake. There is so much fake news out there relating to COVID-19 that we need to practice our good judgement skills and treat everybody with equality and respect.
5. Focus: Always maintain your focus and give your total attention to what you planned on doing and to the people you are interacting with. What you focus on grows, so it is essential to focus on the right things or even the smallest tasks, especially at this time.
6. Honesty: Living in close quarters with all family members all day long is quite difficult, but when you let honesty guide you, you’ll achieve success. Being well versed not only just verbally but also non-verbal communications is key to a more peaceful household. Be honest and appreciate each family member.
7. Wisdom: Remember that wisdom is gained by experience. Journal daily and meditate to get in touch with your inner self in order to gain a higher understanding and wisdom. We will all come out of this pandemic much wiser. 
8. Empathy: Know that everybody is different and has different needs. Try to understand how others’ feelings might be different from how we are feeling. Be empathetic and compassionate and seek help if needed. 
9. Sympathy: Be sympathetic to those around us who might be under emotional stress. Try to understand things from their perspective. Be pleasant to talk to and be like-able and agreeable when discussing plans and ideas. 
10. Value time: Prioritize and plan out each day during quarantine. Value your own time and the time of others and live to their deadlines accordingly. If dinner is planned at six p.m., be on-time. Finish those online courses, read those books on the shelf, start that business you have been thinking about for the past 10 years, and stop wasting time on mindless scrolling. 
11. Breathe: Take some time daily to slow things down and breathe. In doing so, it will actually help you be more  proactive in your next actions and let your positive attitude support your proactive actions. 
12. Resilience: Living life happily is not a piece of cake. It takes a lot of perseverance and resilience. The strength needed to stand tall when a setback like a pandemic is a major life test that we are all going through together. Remember, have faith that you absolutely will be successful undergoing any offsets.
13. Flexibility: A pandemic at this magnitude happens only once in a lifetime, be willing and open to easily making changes in daily routines and adjustments to our schedules. 
14. Gratitude: Be thankful. Be pleased with what others are doing right now. I’m  immensely grateful for all the front-line workers fighting this battle right now. I’m truly grateful for everyone who is staying home. I’m beyond grateful for every family member who is still healthy. Together, collectively as human kind, we will get through this.

The traits given above are some of the qualities that we can possess to get through this tough time. Try to adopt them and make them a part of your life. Cheers to your health, happiness and success.