Are you having financial troubles? Perhaps you’re going through a divorce? Does it feel like your life is falling apart?
Don’t despair! A positive attitude can go a long way toward creating happiness.
Everyone has problems at some point. Over 12.5 million work days were lost in the United Kingdom alone in 2017 due to stress, anxiety or depression.
Stress comes upon people mostly because of money, work, poor health or family responsibilities.
Remember: when one door closes, another opens. The problems you’re facing will soon be just a bad memory.
Let’s look at the keys to staying positive when things are looking bleak:
Don’t wait to be happy
How many times have you told yourself that you’ll be happy as soon as you switch jobs or get a raise?
The truth is that these things might not happen anytime soon. If you rely on them to live your best life, you deny your right to happiness.
Appreciate every moment and focus on the good in your life. Live in the present and be grateful for what you have now.
Stop playing the victim
When times get tough, we tend to blame others for our problems. Doing so will only keep you from finding solutions and solving things.
Take responsibility for the current situation and then find a way to fix it. Break free from the ‘poor me’ mentality and be proactive in your quest for happiness.
Jump into something new
Opportunities are everywhere. It’s a matter of going out and looking.
Stuck in a bad job? Find something else! Assess your skills and figure out how you could use them to boost your income and help others in the process.
Have you just lost a big client? Start pitching potential customers. Dedicate at least 30 minutes every day to cold emailing and job hunting. The more options you have, the better.
Start a meditation habit
Meditation is one of the best ways to calm your mind and ward off stress. It’s so powerful that it alters the brain’s structure and triggers positive changes in the areas associated with memory, creativity and cognition.
Make a habit out of meditating every day. Do it for at least 10 minutes. Close your eyes, clear your mind and take deep breaths. The benefits are immediate.
Just because your life isn’t perfect right now doesn’t mean it will be like this forever. Problems come and go. What matters is to look on the bright side and hang in there.
Get out and enjoy yourself for a little bit. Read a good book, call an old friend or start a new hobby. These small things can make a world of difference.
Faith Wood is a novelist and professional speaker who focuses on helping groups and individuals navigate conflict, shift perceptions and improve communications. For interview requests, click here.
The views, opinions and positions expressed by columnists and contributors are the authors’ alone. They do not inherently or expressly reflect the views, opinions and/or positions of our publication.
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