In its simplicity, life can be difficult. Then we make it more tortuous by the way we treat ourselves — feeding our minds with thoughts that reinforce the negatives.
So what can you do to focus on the positives?
Get off Facebook
Comparing your life with others’ is a sure-fire recipe for depression. Stop looking over the “neighbour’s” fence and looking at what they’ve got and you haven’t.
If you are tempted to peek, look at all the things you’ve got that they haven’t.
Our assumptions about other people are often wrong. We only see a small sliver of their lives. Their public one. The one they want to project. It’s not a complete picture.
Get on with managing your own life. Analyze the things that have gone wrong. Think about why they went wrong. Find the real reason (that’s the answer to the 5th why) and not just a good reason (the off-the-cuff answer to the 1st why).
Is there a pattern? Is there a real cause that you can tackle?
Get outside
Take a deep breath of fresh air, see the trees, and listen to the birds and insects. Relate to this world. Smell the flowers, the damp earth or the rain. Look up and marvel at the sky and the clouds.
Soak in the ever changing world you have the opportunity and privilege of experiencing.
It will have an immediate and positive effect on your mood.
Use a loving voice with yourself
Talk to yourself like you love yourself. Like a new found romance when you only see the good and positive.
Consider your life. Concede that you are in the best place you could be. Accept your failures and weaknesses as challenges and hurdles to overcome.
Admit that without pain, there would be no ultimate pleasure.
Exercise, exercise, exercise
So simple to do … so difficult to do.
Exercise releases feel good endorphins. It lowers stress and positively channels negative energy.
Be careful what you eat
Don’t diet. Eat less and less often. Be aware about what you unconsciously shovel down your throat.
Having a healthy diet can impact your mood much more profoundly than most people realize.
Talk to people who care about you
Build a positive community either in person or online.
Speak to empathetic people who listen. Hear what they say. Think about it and digest it.
Having someone who just listens often has an encouraging effect.
Volunteer-help those who are less fortunate
There’s always someone less fortunate. Often much less fortunate.
Helping others not only benefits them. It can help us feel thankful and more in touch with our positive feelings.
See Also: 5 Reasons Why You Should Volunteer
Think happy
The old adage of “fake it till you make it” is filled with wisdom. Breathe deeply, pull your shoulders back, put a big smile on your face and stand proud.
Greet a stranger with a kind word or smile. Their positive response will boost your happiness.
Make sure you get enough sleep
Sleeping gives your brain time to do its daily housekeeping like cleaning up the past day’s dust and residue.
If you can’t sleep, then lie quietly. Your body needs rest to repair and rejuvenate.
See Also: Get Strong, Sleep, Repeat: The Importance Of Sleeping
Be grateful for all the simple things in life
See your glass half full. Look for opportunities.
Don’t believe the news
… unless you see it as a reality show … with loads of interpreted facts, fake news and lots of spin!!
Take life on in small steps. Improve slowly. Don’t be impatient. Most overnight success takes many years!
Enjoy the unfolding wandering … with the inevitable stumbles and the stimulating wins.