Talking Positivity

Between the 24/7 news cycle and social media, it’s easy to feel suffocated by all the craziness that’s happening around the world. We’ve become so regularly exposed to things like tragedy, hatred, political divide, and inequality that these topics have seeded themselves into the core of who we are as humans.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned just how easy it is to think negatively about everything. After all, bad news is everywhere — we see it, hear it, and experience it in some capacity every single day. It’s a frustrating and overwhelming cycle, isn’t it?

Truth is, negativity doesn’t facilitate a happy, healthy life. Instead, it leads to the expression of negative emotions and stress, both of which are not good for the human body.

This is why I practice positivity every single day.

Practicing positivity helps bring a brighter, colorful, and more optimistic outlook to the gloomy, gray, just-want-to-sit-here-and-be-pessimistic parts of life. There are many ways to practice positivity, so I thought I’d share some of the ways that work for me.

Treat each new day for what it is: a new day.

It’s just like Natasha Bedingfield said, “Today is where your book begins / The rest is still unwritten.” Too often, people fall into the bad habit of using new days to talk mistakes, tensions, and frustrations of yesterday. But what’s the fun in that? I choose to start each new day with a positive mindset and treat it like a new page in the book of life. It’s all about living for the present and not dwelling on the past.

Choose to be kind to others.

Smile and say hello to others. Give compliments often. Hold the door open for someone. Do a random act of kindness. Don’t mock people for pursuing their passions. Be a supportive friend. Lend a helping hand to someone in need. Life is so much more fun when we build each other up instead of tear each other down.

Get fresh air as often as possible.

I love getting as much fresh air as I can. Between riding in the car with windows down, coming home for lunch to play with the pup outside, going for a late night walk with the boys, or sitting outside on the patio drinking coffee, reading a book, or working on a new blog post, the feeling of breathing in fresh air is pretty much unbeatable. Whether the sun is shining or it’s pouring rain, there is something so relaxing about being outside. For me, it’s a reminder of how big and beautiful the world is — and that’s enough to make me smile and realize it’s not such a cruel place after all.

Prioritize sleep.

Let’s face it, our bodies deal with a lot during the average day. Juggling an array of emotions, physical fatigue, and mental exhaustion, a good night’s sleep helps to balance the body, giving it time to repair itself from a long day and prepare itself for a new one. I try my best to give my body a solid 8 hours of sleep every night. In doing so, I feel healthier, happier, and more productive. No more all-nighters over here!

Surround yourself with the right people.

It’s the old saying: you are only as good as the company you keep. Creating a positive environment starts with the people you let into your circle. Surround yourself with people who share similar interests, values, and goals in life. If you let negative people into your life, or if you hang around with people who exhibit negative habits and behaviors, the negativity will come creeping through the cracks in your life too. Find people who want to listen to you when you’ve had a bad day. Find people who support and promote your interests. Find people who challenge you to make yourself better. Find people you want to hang out with on the weekends. Building the right network of people around you aids a happy life. This I can confirm.

Practice gratitude.

Practicing gratitude is on every happiness list I’ve ever read. It comes in many shapes and sizes, so there’s not a one-size-fits-all approach that works for everyone. Instead, it’s all about finding what works for you. I’m not the kind of person who writes down my gratitudes at the beginning or end of each day; instead, I do my daily gratitude expression at night when I go to bed. Before I drift off to sleep, I close my eyes reflect on the past day and think about all the small moments from the day that made me smile. Then, at the end of the week, I scroll through the photos I’ve taken on my iPhone and reflect on the week. Every couple of weeks, I write out my reflections on my blog as a part of my Weekly Snaps series.

In addition, my sister sent me the Zen as F*ck journal for Christmas. I’m not too far into it yet, but every couple of days I like to turn the pages and complete some of the exercises. It’s a refreshing change of pace that brightens my day with a little extra humor.

Do what makes you happy.

Life is short and fragile — you never know how much time you’re going to get. We’re all playing the game of life on an unknown scoreboard. To live your life to the fullest, it’s important to make yourself a priority. Find creative hobbies, explore new places, and spend time with the people you love. Make adjustments in your life when they’re needed.

Don’t be afraid to say “no”.

I used to say “yes” to almost everything. People would ask me for help or support for something that was important to them and I saw it as an obligation I had to fulfill on my side. In recent years, I’ve learned that saying “yes” to everything only leads you down the path to exhaustion. Of course I want to be seen as someone who is helpful, but I don’t want to neglect my own goals and happiness in the process.

Read good news.

Is there even such a thing as good news? The answer is yes! One place I love to frequent is Flipboard’s Good News page. Filled with stories of heroism, generosity, and humor, Flipboard is the perfect place to find an accumulation of articles bound to make you smile.

Smile. Always remember to smile.

If you remember one thing from this post, let it be this: there is magic in your smile. Smiling creates so much happiness and joy, not only for the person smiling, but for everyone else who interacts with that smile. Think about passing by a stranger — they look at you and smile and instantly you feel inclined to smile back. A genuine smile is contagious. And so, even on a bad day, I choose to smile because a good, genuine smile radiates the kind of positivity that the world needs to see a little more often.

Life is not perfect — it’s filled with ups and downs and things that distract you from finding happiness. And while it’s impossible to drown out all the negativity in this world, instilling just a few positivity techniques will help tremendously.

What are some of the ways you practice positivity?