Spring, to me, is a season of renewal. I focus on growth and positivity, especially in the early months of the new season. Even my bullet journal theme for the month of March is focused on growing and plants! I’ve been doing some soul-searching lately and reading more philosophical works. And I’ve been happier for it! Thanks to everything I’ve read, I’ve been able to make my outlook more positive and enjoy life all the more. Here are some of the ways that I do that!
Think of Your Favorites Things
This is an easy if not obvious technique. Whenever I’m not happy (even if I’m simply neutral or bored), I think of things that make me super happy. Some examples include reading a really good book while tanning, laughing with my best friends, being hugged by my parents, or any dog I’ve ever seen. All of these can instantly bring a smile to my face and improve my mood, even if I’m doing something I don’t want to be doing. It’s a simple tactic to immediately improve whatever situation you’re in, and one that I highly recommend.
Eliminate Negative Things
This might be a bit of a harder tactic, depending on your situation, but an effective one nonetheless. For me, some of the negative things included dietary habits and people I spent time with. Chocolate and other sugary goods would make me crash from the amount of sugar, which made me moody and irritable. The people were either a negative influence on me or didn’t make me happy. It’s a fine line, knowing who is a positive influence on you and who isn’t, but I managed to figure it out after a while. It’s made it a lot easier to be positive and enjoy everything around me.
Be Grateful
Every morning, I think or two or three things that I’m grateful for. This morning, it was my family and the relationship we have, along with the ability to gather as much knowledge and information as I please (more on that later). More or less, this step to happiness is just thinking about all the great things you have around you or in your life. It’s guaranteed to make you smile and be positive. I think this is one of the most important techniques for a happy and balanced life. I don’t usually use lines like “There’s always someone who has it worse than you” but sometimes that quote can snap things into perspective. You woke up today, which is more than some people can say. You have people in your life that make you happy. Be grateful! When I’m grateful, I usually think the sun shines a bit brighter and that always makes me smile.
Work Out
This is an easy one for me, since I have practice every day of the week and weight-lifting three times. Working out showers the brain with dopamine, which increases happiness and mood. I suggest working out (if you have the ability/facility) to increase positivity because it’s worked so well for me. There’s nothing like the feeling after a long workout when you have the rest of the day ahead of you. Whenever you have the chance, work out! It’ll do wonders for your mood!
Do Something for You
I can’t stress how important this is. You should do something, anything, just for the sole purpose of doing something for yourself. For me, I’m reading the compilation 101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think and learning French. Both of these things are thought-provoking and stimulating, which is why I’m doing them. There’s something beautiful about doing something just so that you’ll be happy. It’s such a pure feeling. Whether you want to read a book, watch a show, or something else entirely, you should do something simply for yourself!
These are all of the ways that I increase the positivity around me! Some of the tactics work better than others while some are always a guaranteed smile. If you do any of these, leave a comment down below! As always, thank you so much for reading!
Love,
Kaitlin
Kaitlin H Powell 