What could be better than starting the new year in a positive frame of thought?!?
People ask me on a regular basis how I stay as positive as I am. Like everyone else, I have a lot going on in my life. I'm going to grad school 2300 miles away from my family & friends...husband included. I'm still trying to figure out some of the little things in life, like how to start a BBQ, what to do when your tire blows out & how to truly be a strong, independent person. To some people these things may seem trivial, but to someone who has never had to do them, they can cause a good amount of stress. The things that I do different from other people are what I'm going to discuss here.
The first thing that has to happen is making a commitment & realizing why being happier is important. For me, it has been pure survival. I don't live near my family & I didn't have any friends when I first moved out to Missouri. Knowing that people don't like negative people I didn't have a choice but to maintain my positive outlook on life. I knew what I needed to do & essentially that's what I did. This one may take some conscious thought in the beginning but soon it will become second nature.
I also make it a priority to surround myself with people who I respect & who have the same traits as I want to have for myself. For me, this includes people who have a positive, upbeat personality, who have goals similar to myself & who are confident, open minded & nonjudgmental. Of course there are other things I look for when deciding who I want to share my time with but those listed are essential qualities for people who I maintain a close relationship with.
I go out of my way to read positive affirmations on a daily basis too. Facebook has some great groups that can be very uplifting. The two that I frequent are Positivity & The Power of Positivity. They both post affirmations & quotes multiple times a day. My favorite from today is a quote by Napoleon Hill. "There are no limitations except those you acknowledge. Whatever you can conceive & believe, you can achieve." There are a lot of great books out there that are only affirmations & positive thoughts as well. If you would like some suggestions just let me know...I have lots!
I also get "Notes From The Universe" emails sent to me 5 days a week from www.tut.com. It's just a short, positive email that always seems to fit what's going on in my life. It's pretty simple to sign up & it's free which makes it even better. Just go to the website, answer a couple questions, put in some things you want out of life & you're good to go! I have had days where I end up racing out the door & didn't have time to check my daily Note before starting my day. I notice a clear difference in my mood on those days compared to others, so I know this is a good thing for me to keep up with. I also decided to take this one another step further. I printed out some of my favorites, posted them on a cork board and hung it in my closet where I know I look everyday. I read a couple extra Notes every morning as I'm picking out what I'm going to wear!
Other things that have helped me out along the way...eating a healthy diet, exercising, getting adjusted, acupuncture, drinking lots of water & getting a good amount of sleep...all of which have other health benefits too!! :)
