10 STEPS TOWARDS A POSITIVE LIFE
- megancollette
- Apr 3, 2019
- 5 min read
Updated: Sep 2, 2019
Improving your outlook on life can be easier said than done. For some people, it can take years to break old habits and learn to see the positive side of not only the good days, but the tough days too! In this article, I’d like to share 10 steps you can take to start living in a more positive and mindful way.
“Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.” — Dalai Lama
Find the Bright Side
I realize how this sounds ('duh' comes to mind) but let me explain further. There have been so many times that I have found myself facing a difficult or frustrating situation. When I face these trying times, I try to ask myself questions like: What opportunity has this situation presented me with or has this situation saved me from a bigger mistake? Often times, just taking a second to consider a positive perspective can change your whole impression of the situation.
Start your day in a positive way
Morning routines are so important. Waking up with a sense of purpose will set the tone for the rest of your day. Whenever I wake up without a plan, I end up feeling crummy all day. My typical morning starts with a coffee before heading straight out to the gym for my daily workout. I prefer to get to the gym before my mind has a chance to talk me out of it. And by the time I leave, I am already feeling awake, healthy and productive!
Cultivate and live in a positive environment
The people you surround yourself with and the information you rely on will always impact your attitude and your perspective. There have been so many times that I have left a negative person and started noticing that my thoughts were mirroring the pessimistic views I had just heard this person reciting all night. The good news is, this can go both ways but the truth is, it is usually easier to fall to the “dark side”. Staying positive takes work. Especially when you are choosing to spend your time with negative people or living in a stressful environment. Take some time to think about the people you are associating with. Are they raising you up or do they drag you down? Is your home full of things you love or is it a source of tension? It may be time for a deep spring clean of not only your environment, but your life.
No Dramaqueens!
It is so easy to get overwhelmed by a first impression and end up creating a huge issue out of a not so big problem. Unfortunately, this is a habit that prevents so many of us from tackling our obstacles in a productive and efficient way. Instead, we panic and oftentimes end up making a rash decision based on irrational ideas. If you catch yourself doing this, the best way to handle it is by taking a step back, take a few breaths and then refocus on the situation with a clear head. Ask yourself will this really matter in 5 years? Or even 5 weeks? Usually, the answer is no.
Don't let vague fears hold you back
We all have fears, but the key to success is learning to overcome the negative thought patterns and face your fears. There have been so many times I have wanted to take a chance in life but I let my fear of failure hold me back. Did I fail? No. Did I even give myself a chance to make a positive change in my life? NOPE. Looking back, these are often the moments we regret the most. I know I do! So, the next time you’re talking yourself out of taking a chance towards something you want, ask yourself: What is the worst that could happen?
“For success, attitude is equally as important as ability.” – Harry F. Banks
Be prepared
If you know you’re going to face a person, place or situation that will put you in a bad mood, the best way to get through it is to be prepared for the inevitable. If it’s a person who always seems to get under your skin or a place that brings up uncomfortable memories, take a moment to acknowledge your feelings. They are probably valid and deserve to be heard. This does not mean you should dwell on these feelings. Once you have acknowledged and taken the time to understand why you feel this way, you should consider what actions you can take to minimize your discomfort. Not AVOID…minimize. We will always find ourselves in situations we may not love, that is part of life. The best thing you can do is learn how to exist in these situations whilst keeping a positive mind-set.
Move mindfully through your day
Maintaining a positive attitude will not always be easy and sometimes it can be easy to forget your intention. By staying focused on what you’re doing and your mind-set while you’re doing it, you can control your perspective. Even if you are completing the most mundane assignment at work, do not let the repetition take control of your thoughts. This will create a bored and spacy mind-set which definitely does not drive positivity. Take each moment as it comes and stay present throughout your day, this will allow you to access your positive emotions and be practical about the actions you are able to take.
“The two enemies of human happiness are pain and boredom.” — Arthur Schopenhauer
Practice Gratitude
This is one of those things that is so obvious yet so many of us forget to do it! A great habit to add to your morning routine is to reflect on 5 things, even small things, that you are grateful for from the previous day. Doing this every morning can have such a huge impact on your mood for the rest of the day. I find that appreciating the really small details (the stuff we usually overlook) will usually boost my mood the most.
Don't let your ideals ruin your reality
We’ve all been there. Maybe you slipped on a diet at 10am and ended up eating half of the snack food aisle by 2! Maybe you missed the gym on Wednesday so decided to start again on Monday. Why do we do this to ourselves? Why are we let our need to be perfect take control of our lives? This is usually a catastrophic reaction that we need to stop – ASAP! We aren’t perfect. We never will be. So, if you eat that donut at 10am, stick with your salad at lunch! If you miss the gym on Wednesday, sign up for a HIIT class on Thursday! Don’t beat yourself up over a mistake, just move on and try harder next time. Do. Your. Best.
Reduce your worries
Worrying is a destructive habit. It disturbs our sleep patterns, creates irrational thoughts, and prevents us from reaching our full potential. It is impossible to stay positive if you are always worried about what could go wrong. Take some time to think about some things you’ve worried about recently. How many of these worries actually became reality? Typically, the answer is very few. Most of the things you spend your life worrying about will never actually happen and asking yourself this question can be a reality check that allows you to calm down and realize that you have been creating an imaginary nightmare.
If you can’t just ignore your worries (many of us can’t), why not try to focus on steps you can take towards a solution instead of dwelling on what can go wrong. By having a plan of action should your worry every become a reality can help you feel prepared and at peace.
“There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.” — Epictetus
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