A friend of mine and I have recently started writing down five positive things at the end of each day. They can be anything from “an extra half hour in bed” to “a really good chat with so and so” or “a beautiful walk” and the noticeable effects upon my personal mindset (already) have been amazing.
I’m no depressive and I know I have a good life. I love and appreciate all of my friends and family so much and often look outside of my bedroom window thinking what a lovely view I have of the smallest part of this huge world (which has been a positive on more than one day so far). So I do feel that I am, and often I get told I am, a happy person.
However, as much as you try to focus on the positives in life, there are always times when you fall into the trap of a stressful day when nothing seems to be going your way and instantly everything is, quite frankly, shit. Sometimes that smile I plaster over my face is an inward cry for help because in reality, inside, I am not feeling so chipper. You must have experienced days and moods (which sometimes last the whole week) similar to the ones I’m briefly outlining, we all have them.
Loading the dishwasher and your favorite wine glass breaks; stub your toe on the hard bit of the cupboard; get in your car and there’s no petrol – you know the kind, those days when you feel like the whole world is against you.
Even if you think you are a very upbeat person, always seeing the good in people and situations, try this out. Write down five positive things from each day that goes by and see the changes in how you view things.
At first I found it quite difficult because the first day that I did it was one of those rubbish days. I was feeling low (hormones most probably, hangover didn’t help either) and even the big bowl of chocolates surrounding me wasn’t proving to boost my happiness in any way. I was just in one of those moods, but when I thought about it and forced five good things onto my notepad, I instantly felt a weight lift off of my shoulders, like I’d achieved something – another positive.
After just three days of writing five good things down, I already am noticing the benefits. Each new list I write wants to be longer because I’m seeing more and more things as good and actively seeking them out throughout the day. I also find that I have more energy with it and want to do more with the time I have which will in turn lead to yet more optimistic things to note.
I’m finding that my whole mindset is shifting and I’m starting to see not so good things in a brighter light. For instance, checking the weather the other day and I thought to myself that a 40% chance that it’s going to rain all day isn’t 100%. The daunting prospect of having no clue what the next few months hold for me isn’t the best feeling ever, but then I’m taking each day as it comes, breaking down my tasks into realistic measures and ensuring I achieve something closer to my goal every week. I even broke a chair at the pub the other night and felt the mince pies and extra roasties that I ate over Christmas putting me to shame, but still laughed about it and noted that there are worse things in life.
So whether you suffer with low moods on a serious level, or sometimes have days or weeks where things are not looking too great, do try this out. Find five positives from every day (and there will always be at least five) and indulge in the contentment, the good vibes and the new energy that will fill you leading to a fabulous 2018 for us all.
From travels, I remember the hot sunny days, the beautiful scenes, times when all went to plan, the constant happy buzz filling me inside and the friendly people I met along the way. I swerve to think of the overnight trains and flights, skipping so many time zones that I was so jet lagged I was physically sick, the less welcoming people, the times I’ve feared for my life, the rain, the stress of some plans that didn’t quite work out and the times I missed home.
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When asked the other day what my ‘best bits’ of Uni have been, the natural response that I returned with shocked me. Now, it may have been the wine talking but I was impressed with the answer I gave. An answer more than ‘this one time I was sh**faced’ or ‘that really good result I got’. No, the answer I gave made me realise how beneficial my university experience has been on a deeper level.