You may have heard plenty of tips on staying positive – yet despite our best efforts, some situations encourage a negative mindset even when we don’t notice. However, there are still steps that we can incorporate in our daily lives that will ultimately train us to see the glass half full. Staying positive is undoubtedly more challenging than people expect it to be, especially with everything going on in the world these days, but that doesn’t mean it is impossible! We’ve rounded up 6 tips on staying positive this year that can help get you through those challenging slumps of pessimism.

Keep a journal

An important aspect in training our mindset is insight – this involves understanding our thoughts and the reasons we feel what we feel. Knowing where we derive these negative thoughts will help us get to the root of the problem. Venting via a journal is just one cathartic way to relieve yourself from the extra stress you may be carrying. You would be surprised how much weight you can remove from your shoulders just by simply writing down your thoughts on paper.

Carve out some you-time

Not getting enough leisure time can bring you to a bad mood especially when your time is solely focused on work. With a cranky mood comes negativity. Therefore, we want to steer clear from bombarding ourselves with too much work. Scheduling at least an hour a day for yourself is one of the best tips on staying positive that you can follow. During this time, you can try a new hobby, cook a new dish or simply lay on your couch and binge watch your favorite TV show.

Get enough sleep

Even with the strongest coffee, a lack of sleep will make you feel awful throughout your day. We have all experienced functioning (or lack thereof) with only a couple hours of sleep and know just how difficult it is to focus with a pounding headache, our eyes slowly shutting. In addition to these side effects, sleep deprivation has a negative effect on your perspective. By getting enough sleep, your point of view may improve drastically, which makes getting proper sleep one of the best tips on staying positive.

Take care of your body

The way you treat your body directly impacts your mindset. Not caring for your body is also not caring for your mind (and vice versa). Eating whole foods and exercising will bring your body to its full potential. Although, we definitely don’t blame you for occasionally indulging in your favorite chips or sweets, it’s beneficial to eat healthily the majority of the time. Eating well and exercising isn’t everything – you should also remember to pamper yourself with a spa-night, massages and spending time on skin care. Everyone loves a good face mask every once in a while!

Discourage gossip

Talk negatively – think negatively. In reverse, talking positively will help you think positively. Instead of engaging in conversation that you know may be discouraging other people, try surrounding yourself with people who support each other. Toxic friendships and relationships can be extremely harmful, so it’s very important to cut ties to those who are dragging you down.

Embrace challenges

The feeling of achievement after overcoming a challenge is incomparable. It’s a high that leads to a streak of positivity that you wouldn’t have discovered without embracing the challenge. Instead of fearing failure, remember the lessons you could possibly learn that will ultimately lead to improvement.

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