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As we grapple with the first global pandemic lockdown of our lifetime, our daily routines have been upended, and it鈥檚 difficult to keep up with new changes. Many of us are overwhelmed by the precarious nature of our health, our loved ones鈥� well-being, and our financial security. But in the midst of uncertainty and fear, inspiring videos are emerging from the countries most affected by coronavirus鈥擨ranian doctors and nurses and Italian residents . This footage not only uplifts the spirit of those in close proximity, it also brightens the mood of people watching from around the world. 

One thing I鈥檝e learned from spending much of my own childhood in times of war and political upheaval is the importance of cultivating joy during crises. While it is critical to be informed about the trajectory of the new coronavirus via reliable sources, to practice physical distancing, and to care for our most vulnerable populations, it鈥檚 also time to infect each other with love and fortifying stories. This is actually really hard to do, because we .

During the eight-year Iran-Iraq War, which killed over a million people, life was far from joyful. We Iranians had become accustomed to daily funerals, food rations, political oppression, and an ongoing threat of bombs and missiles. On top of that, consuming alcohol, dancing, and playing non-sanctioned music had suddenly become illegal under the post-revolution laws. 

But even with these external challenges, I observed a few adults鈥� ability to become scrappy and use all available resources for the essential task of nurturing joy, stability, and a sense of humor. Faced with food rationing, they experimented with new recipes. Faced with wartime blackouts, they told stories and recited poems. As the threat of bombing loomed, they told jokes and made everyone laugh until our eyes watered. Sure, this made us all feel better in the moment, but what is discovering is that joy and laughter are essential for building the superpower of resilience, and even .

Psychologist and trauma expert says joy is an experience of expansion, whereas fear is one of deep contraction. Cultivating joy is an important component of resilience as it increases our capacity to face difficulties. 鈥淚magine if every time you stretched a rubber band, it would become more resilient, so rather than wearing out, it would increase its capacity, able to take more stretches without breaking,鈥� he says.

So even when there are obstacles which cause contraction, that expansion afforded to us by joy comes to our rescue. 鈥淭he more we increase this capacity, the less overwhelming emotions will be,鈥� Levine says. For instance, trauma stretches us beyond our capacity to deal with a certain challenging situation, and we become overwhelmed with sensations and emotions. The problem isn鈥檛 that the sensations and emotions are too strong but that our capacity to hold and process them is maxed out. When we continue to cultivate joy, we gain the ability to feel the overwhelm without becoming overwhelmed ourselves. 

So even when there are obstacles which cause contraction, that expansion afforded to us by joy comes to our rescue.

For Persians, one of our most precious ways to summon joy is with poetry. I remember one night, in particular, in my home city of Shiraz, Iran, during the war. While sirens blared and the electricity was shut off, warning of an imminent attack, my family and I (feeling especially brave) snuck to our rooftop to watch the anti-aircraft missiles shoot into the air. To my 7-year-old eyes, the brilliant red patterns in the pitch-black sky rivaled the most magnificent fireworks display. But underneath the awe there was a simmering terror brewing in my belly of not knowing who was going to die next. Was it going to be me? My best friend? My sister in Tehran? My teacher? 

And then someone from another rooftop shouted a verse of Rumi鈥檚 poetry into the clear night air: 

Even if, from the sky, poison befalls all, 

I鈥檓 still sweetness 

wrapped in sweetness 

wrapped in sweetness鈥�

This was a poetic challenge to the bombers, but it was also a gauntlet thrown down to any Persian in hearing range. The verse soon was rejoined from another rooftop:

While others sing about love, 

I am the Sultan of love!

Even as a young child, I could feel the ecstasy of these verses in my heart, radiating to every cell of my being. In an instant, my world not only became sane, but infinite and glorious. And what bomb could ever touch that?

Savoring moments of transcendence can mightily boost our well-being, and according to the neuropsychologist , focusing on and absorbing ordinary moments of joy also has a very real and cumulative beneficial effect on our health. When we slow down during pleasant experiences, our system is given a chance to hardwire the experience in our brain. Through this simple yet effective method, we can train our nervous system to become Velcro for good experiences and Teflon for unpleasant events. 

In other words, we can overcome the hardwired 鈥攖he tendency to absorb and remember potential threats and unpleasant experiences, while ignoring positive experiences. The negativity bias evolved out of our need to survive. Predators, poisonous plants, and other perils made a profound impression on our ancestors, and those who survived learned to avoid such dangers in the future. 

Hanson says that for the modern human, the negativity bias is no longer a feature. It is now a design flaw. Throughout the day, one bad experience ends up occupying much more of our attention than many neutral and good experiences, thereby preventing us from learning from our beneficial experiences and turning them into a lasting neural structure.

Just like everything in life, our brains are continually changing. 鈥淢uch of this change is pushed on us and our brain is changing willy-nilly鈥攃ars honking, people frowning, bad news,鈥� says Hanson.

Luckily, we can use neuroplasticity, or the brain鈥檚 ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections, to our advantage. With every new sensation, thought, feeling, or action, new neural connections, or synapses, are formed, and with each repetition, these neural connections are strengthened. Neuropsychologist Donald Hebb summarized this synaptic efficacy as 鈥渃ells that fire together wire together.鈥� Thus, the brain can learn to trigger the same neurons each time and gradually wire them together. Using this Hebbian theory, we can change the brain for the better by reveling in pleasant events a handful of times a day鈥攑ausing to listen to the sounds of birds chirping, relishing a bite of food or a good cup of coffee, smelling a flower, or enjoying a pleasant thought about a loved one. 

鈥淣o drugs, nothing fancy, no exotic meditation technique needed,鈥� says Hanson. 鈥淵ou begin to move from moments of gratitude to the trait of gratitude, moments of self-worth to the trait of self-worth, and this is a profoundly powerful practice.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

According to clinical psychologist , there is also a strong positive correlation between cultivating joy and increased levels of life satisfaction and personal growth. In contrast, when we are controlled by fear and depression, life satisfaction naturally plummets and personal growth is hindered. 鈥淲e are far more effective, supple, and self-optimized when we face times of crisis with a wise, joyful attitude than when we cower in destructive fears and anxiety,鈥� Manly says.

Those of us who lived through the fundamentalist power grab in Iran experienced a revolution of joylessness. Perhaps the most radical act of resistance in the face of adversity is to live joyfully.

This current pandemic poses a unique challenge for us as we maneuver from fear to joy, from contraction to expansion. We are social creatures, and given the highly communicable nature of coronavirus, it is wise to limit our physical interactions to a bare minimum for the foreseeable future. Levine invites us to call this practice physical distancing rather than social distancing.

鈥淭he sense of helplessness and social disconnection affects the immune system. You don鈥檛 want to break that social fabric,鈥� Levine says. Families can play together, dance, and sing with each other, but we cannot forget those who live alone or are grieving. We must continue to socially connect through technology, or forego the Internet and, as Levine suggests, bang pots and pans like the Italians to show that we are all in this together. 

Expansive thoughts, emotions, and actions tend to travel in packs. For example, during this pandemic can give us a sense of purpose which contributes to our joy and a sense of well-being. People are donating to hospitals, and delivering food and medicine to their elderly and immunocompromised neighbors. Others are finding joy through , cooking, spending more time , or taking an online course on 鈥�.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

Iran has been a hotbed for corona for the past few months and there is little I can do directly to help my relatives in isolation there. So we Skype and together from afar. We talk about pleasant memories and what is blooming in our garden right now. These talks are the highlight of our day. Since the lockdown in California, I鈥檝e begun doing the same with my American friends and with in a Mexican shelter, who continue to uplift each other through . 

Those of us who lived through the fundamentalist power grab in Iran experienced a revolution of joylessness. Perhaps the most radical act of resistance in the face of adversity is to live joyfully.

Nurturing joy, of course, isn鈥檛 the same as negating reality or suppressing difficult emotions. By all accounts, we will have a long, bumpy road ahead of us. Many are already dealing with much loss and grief. Many are overworked and exhausted. Navigating life right now will most likely be fraught with unforeseen difficulties. Luckily, boosting our resilience, as we set out to deal with these challenges, is guaranteed to be pleasurable. And for those of us who are capable, it鈥檚 now more important than ever to bolster our resilience, to care for ourselves and those who cannot care for themselves, and to infect each other with joy and laughter.