. 5 LITTLE TIPS TO HELP YOU HAVE A POSITIVE DAY, EVERYDAY .
Often with a busy life, lots of pressure and one too many stresses buzzing around your head it can be hard to keep a positive head throughout the day. And one thing is for sure, as soon as a little negativity gets in your head in can spiral into a terrible mood before you even know it. Sometimes once a negative mindset has set in, everything can become exaggerated and too much to handle, and you’ll find what could be a simple situation more difficult to deal with. In fact it’s actually quite crazy how your attitude, actions & reactions can differ dependent on if you’re in a positive or negative mood. Needless to say, a positive mood is always best, a positive mindset can make you calmer, more reasonable, obviously more happy & generally more open to positive things. Ever heard that age old saying that positive minds attract positive people, well I think it’s true, there’s nothing worse than a negative and grumpy person bringing you down!
It’s all well and good accepting that positivity is clearly a winning attitude to embrace, but sometimes keeping or even achieving a positive attitude can be a little more tricky than we’d hope. But there are a few little things which I find really help me set the day off in a positive mind frame, and most importantly keep me positive for the rest of the day.
So today I thought i’d share my top 5 tips to help you have a positive day, everyday …
#1 THINK OF 5 THINGS YOU’RE GRATEFUL FOR
Numero Uno, start the day in a positive way by literally waking up and taking check of all the positive things in your life. It sounds silly, but it’s an age old & highly endorsed little trick which truly can impact your mindfulness and positivity. When you wake up each morning, just lay for a couple of minutes and think about 5 positive things in your life which you’re grateful for … whether it’s the person laying next to you, the family you have around you, the roof over your head or even the cup of coffee you’re about to drink. They can be super big things or super small things, it doesn’t matter, just think of 5 things which make you happy. Before you even step out of bed you’ll already be in a positive mindset.
#2 MAKE AN EXCITING PLAN
I always find that looking forward to something makes me feel excited, happy & positive, and so making plans and filling my diary with events, evenings out and holiday’s is a really easy way to keep me positive. It’s anything from filling my weekend with friends and family, to having a little city break or summer holiday to look forward to … again they don’t have to be big or expensive, in fact they can just be little things that you’ll do throughout the day (take a walk at lunch, have your favourite sushi lunch or meeting a friend after work for a drink) but just generally planning things that you enjoy & will look forward to is one little trick for keeping yourself positive.
“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” Walt Disney
#3 DREAM BIG
What’s more exciting than thinking about all those ‘wild’ dreams, ‘if only’ wishes and ‘one day’ bucket lists? Whilst it’s probably not healthy to live in la la land planning the near impossible (it’s fair to say we probably won’t be the next Alexa Chung or Stella McCartney), it’s so important to dream, and to dream big. I’m always one for living by the motto ‘anything is possible’, my dad hammered into me from a young age that there’s no such word as ‘can’t’ and so having ambition and dreams are really what keep me motivated & inspired (which in turn of course help keep a positive mindset). From the more expected ambitions like promotions and buying a house, to the more adventurous dreams like travelling the globe, starting your own business, having a family … they’re all important, so don’t brush them aside. Working towards a big ‘dream’, even if it just means chipping away at it slowly, is guaranteed to get you excited, happy and positive.
Whether it’s saving pennies every week & knowing you’re working towards something, starting to develop ideas or a plan for your dream career or even just spending time thinking about your wildest dreams, you’ll find yourself smiling and elated before you know it.
#4 DO A GOOD DEED
Whilst good deeds are best when they’re selfless, there’s no harm in embracing the positive feeling that comes with doing a good deed. Whether it’s stopping to buy a Big Issue, buying your colleagues a coffee in the morning, letting someone more in need take your seat on the tube or something bigger like supporting a charity and raising money for a beloved cause, a good deed can go a long way in making you feel a little more positive and happy each day.
You’d be surprised how much doing something for someone else can really give you that feeling of happiness & positivity – why don’t you start today, by doing something little for someone else?
#5 SPREAD THE LOVE
Spread the love is an all encompassing tip as it can take many guises – from spending time with those you love, to giving out a compliment every now and then to even giving yourself a little love and praise. Spreading a little bit of love will not only fill those around you with happiness but it will also give you a boost of positivity too. Give yourself a compliment once a day, tell your mum you love her, give a friend a big hug or simply say hello to someone on the way to work … spreading the love works a treat.
Since having little Ruby (our pup) i’ve realised how nice it is when people say hello or stop to stroke Ruby whilst out and about … being a busy londoner or generally conservative Briton often we’ll put our heads down and rush along with our own busy, stressful and crazy lives, but actually just lifting your head up and giving someone a smile or a little morning hello can make a whole world of difference. In London we’re especially bad at this, but just try being a little more friendly and see how it makes you feel (and best of all, being nice & friendly is totally and utterly free).
#6 BONUS: GET ENOUGH SLEEP
my bonus tip (and a little cheat really as it’s not something you can do in the day) is just to make sure you are getting enough sleep, it’s disconcerting to see how much sleep deprivation can affect your positivity and your mood. I don’t often struggle with sleep, but I find myself if and when i’m a little lacking in restoration (a few too many late nights and busy evenings) that I generally just get a little mopey and down in the dumps. Having a solid 7 – 8 hours sleep each night really sets me up for a good day ahead … and it’s not just sleep. Just giving yourself enough T&C, feeding yourself right and generally looking out and taking care of yourself will naturally help keep you healthy and happy, and in turn far more positive!
There you have it, my 5 tips to help you have a positive day, everyday, keeping a happy and uplifting attitude and generally keeping any grumps at bay!
I’d love to hear your tricks for keeping positive & upbeat, do you also do any of the tips I mentioned?
