Have More Positive Days
You know what is better than having a good afternoon? Having a great day. You know what’s even better than that. Stringing several good days together.
Too many people suffer from more bad days than good.
The good news is there are some fairly simple tweaks one can do to have an effect on the likelihood of having great days versus not so great days.
So my friends, here are eight moderately effective ways to pull some good luck your way and increase your likelihood of having a good day.
Kickstart!
- Wake up earlier. For those of you who love your beauty sleep I know this sounds quite awful. But I swear, this will be to your benefit and it doesn’t have to be way early. I find that getting up 15 minutes earlier than normal is enough. What do I do with this extra time? Pamper myself in the bathroom, or cook a healthier breakfast, exercise, or pray. I usually alternate between all of these options. A little un-rushed me time in the morning can pull some massive lucky favor your direction. 15 minutes of exercise is better than none hun!
- Read Your Gratitude List. If you have read say, more than three of my articles, you’ve likely come across my suggestion to draft a gratitude list. Every human being on the planet should have one. Mine is full of photos of my kids and lists of different things, places, people, and memories I am grateful for. While I have the utmost respect for writing, photos invoke positive memories faster. [bctt tweet=” While I respect writing, the visual aspect of my gratitude journal takes me to a positive space much faster.” username=””] Spending just a few minutes reading this at the start of a day, reminds me that life does have ups, even when we feel down. Heck, you can carry it around and every time you have a negative thought, open it up and read three positive ones to reroute your mood!
- Eliminate the Downer. We all have people in our lives that strip away the happiness almost every time we see them. Or a job that robs us of a smile as soon as we walk in the door. They want to oppose us on everything, no matter what it is and they become a positivity thief. It may not even be a person. It could be the news, reality tv filling us with drama or political ramblings.
Make A Plan
One of the best ways to become happier is to figure out who or what are your happiness thieves and create a positivity plan to keep them at bay. Whether it’s spending less time with a certain person or eliminating a certain show from our lives or taking the news out of our daily routine, seek them out and get rid of them asap. You will thank yourself sooner than later.
- The In-Crowd. On the flip side of getting rid of negative people, seek out your positive, inspiring people. You want to be successful? Surround yourself with people who are and are willing to motivate you. Let’s face it, you can’t shadow Oprah or Warren around without getting arrested for stalking. Unless you have some super connections the rest of us don’t. But chances are you have a friend or two who seem luckier, more successful, and just upbeat on a regular basis. This positivity by association will create opportunities. These will have a ripple effect throughout various areas of your life.
Be Consistent In Your Efforts
- Savor your morning/bedtime routine. Maybe it’s your exercise routine, maybe it’s your coffee or makeup. Whatever it is, do it with purpose and enjoy it. Getting up that fifteen minutes earlier should allow you to do this even better. When rushed or in a hurry, things often get off to a rough start. Did you know people who make their beds immediately after getting up feel an instant sense of accomplishment and go on to conquer more during their first few hours? I savor my bedtime routine. I feel like I end my day right no matter how the rest of it went. This helps me wake up with a better attitude.
- Build Bridges. Listen attentively, pay people compliments, and encourage your friendships to flourish. This isn’t about people pleasing. This is about being genuine and treating others in a way that makes you proud of who you are as a friend. Even if it isn’t returned in full respect, people, in general, will always notice and appreciate someone who is pleasant and sincere. Sure you’ll have to weed out the occasional person who takes advantage of you. But living in this manner will certainly bring you more solid friendships. Those who have a good network of friends are proven to have less stress in their lives.
- Evaluate Your Playlist. Music can be soul-stirring and full of emotion. Here’s the problem. Many of today’s songs are filled with lyrics of heartbreak and sadness. (Sorry Adele and Ed) If you really want to start your day off on the right foot, make sure your playlist is pumped full of upbeat or soothing songs. Words, even background ones are like subliminal messages. Don’t be listening to heartbreak, losing in life lyrics. If you aren’t into “Walking on Sunshine, or Just the Way You Are” try some classical music without words.
Share Your Methods
I’d love to hear what tips and tricks you use to start off your days on the right side of the bed. Maybe you have some superstitious way you brush your teeth or put on your socks? Or the best yoga pose on the planet that doesn’t require a flexibility Master’s degree. Please share as I’m always up for ideas 🙂
xoxo-Deanna
P.S For a real boost in the right direction, Join my free email challenge to reroute your life back in the direction of your dreams!