10 Simple Steps to a Positive Life

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Surround yourself with positive people

Who we are surrounded by is such a huge influence on our overall mood. When we spend time in good company we feel uplifted. We smile, we laugh, we joke - we gain positive energy. This positive energy makes us feel much better in ourselves, it makes us content and happy.
Spend less time with people who complain, moan, judge and have overall negative attitudes. They drain you completely. Make you feel tired, bored and claustrophobic even.
Positive People Please simple as.

Rise above things

Don't hold on to things. Let them go. Be completely free. Take a walk, breath in the fresh air and admire the beauty out there. It will make you appreciate how small a deal it really is! Holding on to grudges and upset mean you are still allowing a person or a situation to affect YOU! Why are you giving this person or situation so much power? Rising above and letting go doesn't mean you forget. It means you move on for YOU!

Do things that make you happy

If we please ourselves we'll feel good about ourselves and when we feel good we do good, we act good and we give off positive happy vibes that rub off onto other people! So by doing things that make us happy we also make others happy too!

Follow the 5 year rule

The 5 year rule is simple - if it wont matter in 5 years time don't get angry about it and don't worry about it! Worrying eats away at you. 90% of what we worry about will never happen! Its so true - think back over the past year. Write a list of things you have worried about - how many of them things actually happened or were as bad as you thought they would be?

Change your thoughts

It really is true that everything we experience and feel boils down to our thoughts. It takes some work and thinking to get your head around this one but to change the way we thing about situations, situations change.

Expect Nothing, Appreciate Everything

Expect nothing and then you wont get hurt, upset or disappointed when things you feel should be happening don't. Instead appreciate everything that happens let this be your focus. Appreciate that your friend visited yesterday, appreciate that extra 10 minutes in bed you got this morning, appreciate the stranger that let you know your little one had dropped one of their mittens. Expect nothing, appreciate everything.

Declutter and clean

A cluttered space is the sign of a cluttered mind as the saying goes but I must admit I do feel some of this hold meaning. Think about when you have a big tidy up, everything is away (I know not for long with children about especially). The place smells fresher, it looks more spacious it makes you feel pleased and content. Having a good clear out and clean up helps with your mind set.

Immerse yourself in Nature

Get yourself outdoors and take the time to notice the beauty of nature. Appreciate how beautiful the suns rays look as they pour down through the tree tops. Notice how juicy and red the berries are on the holly bush. Watch birds taking food back to their nests to feed their young. Research concludes that Nature boosts positive thoughts. The Finnish Forest Research group found that natural green settings improve moods, reduce stress and anger.

Anytime you find yourself comparing you or a situation you are in with somebody else - stop yourself. Comparing is a very unhealthy habit

Do an Act of Kindness

Doing random acts of kindness is a great way to start feeling more positive. You feel good inside knowing you have helped somebody and the person/people you help feel good and happy that you have been there and supported them too. You could decide to do anything but here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Volunteer
- Donate items you no longer need to a charity
- Cook an extra portion and invite a relative or friend over for tea
- Create a homemade gift for someone 'just because'
- Smile - a smile costs nothing, you feel better after smiling as your body releases oxytocin and the people you smile at will also feel brighter and will more than likely return the smile.
- Help a relative tend to their garden
- Offer a friend or relative to have their little ones for a few hours babysitting
- Say something kind to somebody - its amazing how far compliments go!
- Donate Blood
- Create homemade bird feeders and help look after wildlife
- Create a care box - fill a box full of goodies and send it in the post to an Auntie, Brother, Mother, Friend, Colleague and so on.
- Collect Tinned Food for a Food Bank
- Take time to truly listen to somebody and pat them on the back for their achievements.

Remember no act of kindness is ever wasted.

Reinforce Positivity in Yourself

Becoming a more positive person takes time and practice. Acknowledge within yourself when you choose to view something in a positive light and give yourself a pat on the back.
Anytime you feel negative thoughts and are thinking in a pessimistic way - flip the situation around and look for the positives, try to focus on them.

So there we have it - 10 simple steps to start living a more positive life.

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