Cringe.

Just a reminder in case somehow it's unclear: you do not have to enjoy a pandemic.

If you are enjoying it? Great! 
If you are savoring alone time, or time with your kids, or time with your cat, or whatever? Great.
If you are baking bread or writing a book or learning to crochet or binging Ozark? Great.
If you are choosing joy for yourself? Great. 

I hope you are. I support it. I am here for it. I celebrate your positivity and success. You're a ray of light. You're working hard. Yes.

But I would implore you that telling other people to "choose joy" is not appropriate as blanket advice. There are people who are sick. Unemployed. Terrified. Sad. Angry. Lost. And these are appropriate feelings that aren't just a matter of attitude or choice of how hard anyone is trying. Giving the advice to others to "choose joy" (or whatever other platitude suggests that you just need a positive attitude) is a real privileged take, and it's yucky. 

If you want to inspire other people to choose joy, I love it. You keep choosing joy and shining your light, and that will inspire them. If you want to really help other people who are in a time of need, help them with money or food or purchasing something from their business or advocating on their behalf to your elected officials or helping them with paperwork or listening to what they ask for and giving them that.

Just to recap: Choosing a positive attitude and finding the good in a tough time? Awesome. Trying to uplift others? Awesome. Telling other people to choose a positive attitude right now?

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IT IS OKAY IF YOU ARE NOT ENJOYING A PANDEMIC. IT IS OKAY IF YOU ARE JUST GETTING THROUGH IT. You do not have to enjoy it, and it's not a moral failing if you don't, and it wouldn't all be okay if your attitude was different.