There is a strong belief that being positive can affect your life for the better. I am a strong believer in the way that positive thoughts and actions can make those difficult days more bearable. We all go through things at times in our lives that can benefit from being more positive. So I wanted to share with you today, my 7 favourite ways to be positive and how to spread positivity.

1. Smile
Smiling, pretty simple really. It’s incredible how a smile can make, not only your own day better, but by smiling at a colleague, a loved one or even a stranger without provocation can cause a chain reaction. We all know that smiling is the reason for having positive emotional content, whether it’s seeing a friend in the street or watching a cute kitten on a video. By smiling at will we are stimulating our brain to think that it is experiencing something positive and therefore it makes us feel good. Here is something interesting, the next time you’re out walking to somewhere pick a random person to smile at, make sure you catch their eye, and see if they smile back, I almost guarantee they will, and it could make their day better too.

2. Share
I am a huge believer in ‘if it makes you happy it probably would make other people happy too’. For some of us that is sharing social media of kittens and puppies doing ridiculously cute acts, and for others it’s a really good joke! Either way, by sharing that small moment of happiness with others, you are putting it out there to benefit people other than yourself.

3. Talk
Well this one might seem an odd one, but talking really can help extinguish negative or sad thoughts. Whenever I feel low I tend to pick a family member on my phone and either hit dial or send them a text. It can be amazing to discuss things, especially if they are worries, because a problem shared really is a problem halved. More so if you are speaking with someone of any wisdom on their shoulders. Even if you don’t have a family member you can speak with, a friend or even a stranger can make all the difference. Seeing an issue from another person’s point of view can make them think differently about what is going on, and could help them through the tough time.

4. Hobbies
There’s nothing I like more than getting stuck into one of my hobbies. I do have a lot of them and it’s often difficult some days to decide what to do. If I am feeling particularly patient then arts and crafts will be on the agenda, however if I am agitated I might opt for a video game to take out frustrations… The point I am trying to make is that no matter who you are and what your means are, there will always be a hobby out there for you. Some hobbies are solitary and others require friends, but the best thing they can do is be a great way to take your mind off things, and even make new acquaintances.

5. Be Kind to Yourself
Sometimes this isn’t so obvious, especially if we are feeling down because we may reach for the television remote and the largest bar of chocolate we can find. But actually being kind to your body and mind can help your mood in a drastic way. Even a fifteen minute walk will give your brain an oxygen boost and the exercise releases endorphins. These create positive feelings and also reduce our perception of any pain we may be experiencing. Eating well can always help you feel more positive, getting plenty of natural vitamins and minerals, as well as enough water a day can really make a difference. Cooking can be really fun to try as well.

6. Sleep
For me, this is an obvious one. I love to just lounge about on a day off (until you remember all the things you need to do that day). But speaking honestly now, sleep is so important, you will definitely feel the benefits if you don’t already get enough hours a night. Adults need anywhere between 6 and 9 hours of sleep a night to function well. This doesn’t mean the nights of broken and interrupted sleep patterns though. This is often why so many people struggle with negative feelings that creep in during the later hours of the day when we are at our most tired. Take the time to rest; you will thank yourself for it, even if you can only afford one lie in each week, and your body will thank you too.

7. Being Grateful
One thing that I have always been a big believer in is that somewhere in the world someone is suffering more than you. Be thankful for all that you have and all that you are. We often neglect the simple things and take them for granted. But the great majority of us live fantastic lives, we have loved ones, we have social lives, we have food in our tummies and belongings we treasure. When something is really bothering me I try to take a timeout, to breathe slowly and to recall mentally all the things I’m most happy about and grateful for in my life. Sometimes the thing that upset you moments earlier seems small in comparison, and you can hold your head high knowing that you’ve overcome that moment of negativity. The positives almost always outweigh the negative thoughts, so don’t let them win. You’re worth more than that, you deserve to be happy.