Whenever you’re feeling down, it helps to take a moment and focus on changing your thinking. Here are 11 ways in which you can do that and which will help you live a more fulfilling life.
1. Be Grateful
Looking around you and realizing what you have, rather than focusing on what you have not, is a great thing you can do to make you feel better about yourself and your life. Whenever you start feeling down, just think of what you’ve already achieved and done and you will automatically be more open to positive vibes as well as the people around you.
2. Laugh
Anytime something happens, you have a choice between laughing and crying. By picking the laughter option you’re showing that you’re strong enough to be positive even in bad situations. Laughter is a great weapon against any dark cloud; don’t be afraid to employ it.
3. Smile
Smile more often. Not only will it make you feel happier (you can’t help it; it’s how your brain is wired), but people will react better to you. After all, don’t you smile back when someone smiles at you? By walking around with a smile you are sending out positive feelings and that means you’ll get them in return. It’s a great way to live life, so start doing it now.
4. Go Outside
Choose not to be cooped up any longer; in certain situations you have little choice (like at work), but be outside whenever you can. Fresh air is a great boon to your brain, body and mood, so make sure you get enough of it every day and your life will improve.
5. Honor Your Feelings
When you feel an emotion coming up you may have the tendency to repress it, especially if it is a negative one. Rather than do that, though, you should consider acknowledging it: it is part of who you are and by honoring it you can better deal with it and with the situation you are in.
6. Take Time For Yourself
A lot of people live their life at others’ behest, but this doesn’t always improve quality of life. Although unavoidable in some situations, make sure you always have the space and the time to have a moment to yourself in which you can relax and be who you really are. It’s these little things that really improve your quality of life.
7. Take It Easy
Seriously: slow down. It doesn’t matter what you’re doing, there is nothing lost by doing it a little slower. Take the time to enjoy what you’re doing and you will notice your quality of life improving almost as if by magic.
8. Spoil Yourself
Make sure to occasionally treat yourself, doing something that you really enjoy. Be it a visit to a spa or simply going to a movie alone, make sure it’s something that makes you happy. There is no better way to relax than spoiling yourself a little, so make sure you make time for that.
9. Stay In The Moment
Live in the now: worrying about the future or ruminating on the past isn’t helping anybody, least of all yourself, so focus on the now and you will feel a lot better about your life.
10. Stand Up For Yourself
In both personal as well as work situations you will have moments where you feel people are taking liberties with your personal integrity. Make sure to protest this at every turn. By showing some self-respect in this manner you will feel a lot better about yourself, while also getting the respect of those around you.
11. Avoid Negative People
Last of all, identify the people in your life that bring you down. Now, avoid these people from now on. Life is about a lot more than feeling down on yourself, so make sure you surround yourself with positive and supportive people and you will notice your quality of life improving instantly!
