5 Things You Can Do To Create Your Positive Life Today

  The person in this photo doesn’t look like she’s in the most comfortable spot. Is there where you are in your life? Sometimes we get to a point in our lives where we feel like the whole world is weighing down on us, and all we can do is struggle to get by. But life doesn’t have to be this way! Here are 5 things you can do TODAY to start changing direction and start heading towards the positive magical life you were meant to live:

1. Stop Complaining. Everyone knows that misery loves company, but what most people don’t understand is that by complaining and feeling miserable, they are only attracting MORE misery! Stop the cycle now. Try to go the entire day without complaining – about anything. It sounds simple, but most of us don’t realize how much we talk about negative things every day (much less think them, but we’ll have to get to that later).

I was a mental health therapist for many years, and of course I expected a fair amount of complaining and dealing with problems. What I didn’t expect, however, was complaining from everyone a good portion of the time. Take a listen to the conversations you hear around you every day. From the library to the grocery store, there’s a good chance someone is complaining. The most common thing I hear (besides the economy) is about the weather. One day it’s been hot for way too long, and the very next day it’s been rainy and cold for too long! Obviously, these complaints are not grounded in reality, so try to let some of them go already.

You might want to grab a little notebook and make a game of this. Jot down anytime you hear yourself or someone else complaining. By the end of the week, you may be pleasantly surprised to see the number of times you complain go down. You may also realize that complaining made up a significant portion of your conversations (I know I did!), and you will have to find new things to talk about and new ways to communicate. It’s important to note that successful people curb their complaining. They look for other positive people. By spending time complaining and focusing on the negative, you are missing out on a lot of opportunities.

2. Focus on the Positive. Every day find 2-3 things that make you happy or that you are grateful for. Jot these down in your journal or notebook, too, and keep a running list. The goal is not to sit down and have a Marathon Session where you write down 200-300 things. This can actually cause people to burn out and not continue the exercise. Keep it simple and write 2-3 things each day.

There are always positive things around us. If you can’t think of anything, start with the basics. Electricity and indoor plumbing are at the top of my list! Pretty soon you will start to notice a beautiful flower, the bees and insects that are vital to life on our planet, or a cool breeze on your skin. The more you begin to notice these things, the more happy and joyful your life will become.

Sure you will always have bills and setbacks, and irritations. But they will start to be minor annoyances in the background, rather than the focus of your life. Plus, when you do have a bad day, you will have a list of wonderful things that make you feel better, and help you realize what is really important in life.

3. Start a Support Network. I can’t stress this one enough. You will have to find like-minded, positive people who are moving forward in their lives in order to help and support you. Chances are, if things are not going the way you would like in your life, you are surrounded by a lot of Negative Nellies. These people are going to find the changes you are making difficult to understand. Some of them will laugh at you. Some of them will become angry and accuse you of thinking you are better than them for wanting a better life. Some of them will take every opportunity to cut you down and change your focus.

When you decide to start making changes it might be best to tell only 1 or 2 of your closest friends or family who you know will support you. Over time, as your life becomes better and better, friends, family, and other people will be drawn to you and want to know what you are doing. Rather than coming out of the Positivity Closet to everyone all at once, it can be best to let your actions speak for you. When people see the changes in your life they will be less likely to try to undermine you, because the truth is everyone wants a better life. They are just afraid to go after it like you. In time, they may become your biggest supporters.

4. Create Space for New Positive Things. Go through your home and take care of any minor annoyances that have been building up over time. This may include shirts with buttons that need to be sewn on, a torn robe or pants, or a squeaky door. These things may seem minor, but they build up over time and are blocking your energy. Every time you see one of these things, your mood takes a dip. There is no reason to live with these annoyances any longer.

Later you can go through your home and remove clutter so that you can create space for new positive things and opportunities to enter your life. For right now, pick one small thing that you can fix or get rid of within 10-15 minutes, and go take care of it. Do this at least once a week, and pretty soon you will have a much-improved living situation.

5. Do Something to Take Care of You. Do something today that just makes you feel good. If there is something you have been putting off because you think you don’t have enough money or because it is frivolous, make an appointment and go do it. This can be anything from going whitewater rafting to getting a massage or facial, or just going to see that new movie you’ve been waiting for.

When you add joy to your life you will become more open and attract more positive opportunities to your life. If you are worried about the money you can always look for coupons or local deals. In my town there is a hair cutting school right up the street. They also do facials and waxing. On Fridays they have major discounts, so this is an easy opportunity for me. Look for two for one specials, too, and split the cost with a friend.

These are 5 easy things you can do to turn your life around and start heading in a more positive direction today. Have you done them yet? Which ones were easier, and which were more difficult? Most importantly, which ones will you continue to do because you want to make lasting changes in your life? I would love to hear about your experiences.