4/09/2015

#AtoZChallenge / How To Keep Positive & Be Happy

How To Stay Positive


Sometimes. However hard we try, it can be really difficult to stay in a positive frame of mind. And it can suck. I am one of those people. I try to see the good in everyone. I try to see the cup half full. I try to drink tequila when life gives me lemons. But sometimes, it can all get a bit too much. 

So. For anybody out there who may be going through such a time, where light amidst the darkness is sparse and fading, here are some thoughts on how I try to stay positive, keep a healthy frame of mind, and regain some perspective. 

Embrace Your Emotions 

Never be afraid to express yourself. If you want to cry, cry. If you want to laugh, laugh. If you need to sit in silence and just hold someone you love, do it. It is really healthy to be in tune with your emotions and to express them. (As long as they are not emotions that through the expressing could hurt you more or those around you.) I know that when I cry, it's a huge catharsis afterwards. I am able to purge myself of any negativity. Sometimes I don't even know why I'm crying. But I let myself cry. Because bottling it up could be 10 times worse than keeping it inside. 

If you don't feel like you can express yourself in front of others, try keeping a journal of thought, writing your feelings on a piece of paper, or take yourself off to a place where you feel completely at ease. I have two places where I can be completely free...the bathroom or outside. When I am in either place, any remnants of fear or embarrassment melt away and I can just be.

It's Your life. Live It For YOU. 

Our time here on Earth is precious. So why go around living for anyone but yourself? Maybe you're the kind of person who likes to please others and make them happy. But if you are not happy with your life, how can you expect others around you to be happy? I can totally relate to this When I don't think people around me are happy, I'm not happy. But I am a firm believer that we all feed off each other's emotions more than we are aware off, so this unhappiness turns in to a viscous cycle. 

If you want to save up, leave your job and go travelling, make it happen. If you want to get a tattoo, do a bungee jump, or cut off all your hair, do it. We really shouldn't care what others think of us, as hard as it sounds. Mrs X or Mr Y wouldn't like it if we went up to them and started dictating what they should be doing and how their lives should be lived. People may think they know better, but our lives are completely unique. What is the right path for one of us may be the completely wrong path for the other. We can take advice and embrace other's opinions, but at the end of the day, we will find our own way, travel our own journey and carve our own destiny. And we WILL and CAN do that completely on our own. 

Forgive & Forget. 

This can be something that is really difficult to do. People can hurt us. People can lie, cheat, steal,  betray, and all of this can be really hard to forgive. But in order to move on with our own lives we have two options. To wallow in sadness, subconsciously dwelling on what has happened that has crushed us, and never moving on from the same place. Reliving events over and over again and living life in retrospect and regret.  Or we can choose to move forward. The power of forgiveness, either of ourselves or others, is incredibly strong. It sets us free. We don't have to engage with the subject of our sorrow ever again, but we can choose to forgive actions taken and words spoken and bury the hatchet once and for all. The choice is entirely ours, but once a decision has been made about the path that you want to take, you can unburden your mind and move on feeling lighter, stronger, and empowered. 

Treat Others As You Would Wish To Be Treated 

Treat others with the kindness, respect and grace that you would wish to receive. Embrace the differences of others and admire how beautifully unique we all are. We are not going to all share the same opinions, beliefs or talents, and we may not all agree with each other, but that does not mean that we should use these differences to hurt one another. Treat others with kindness and understanding. and you might just change a mood, ignite a spark, and just make someone's day. We all revel in joy and happiness, so try to spread some every single day. It could just be a look, a smile, or a gesture, but it could carry meaning that you never even realised. 

And if you are reading this, and still feel down, here's a song that never fails to bring a smile to my face: 


1 comment:

  1. Forgive and forget. No other way to live. Why give control of part of your life to someone by allowing unforgiveness into your heart. Just doesn't make sense to me.

    Stephen Tremp
    A to Z Co-host
    Twitter: @StephenTremp

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