How To Stay Positive In The Worst Of Times
I am a very optimistic person. Throughout my whole life, I have been able to see the glass half full. I love to joke around and so whenever I am in stressful or sad situations my brain is like programed to see the silver lining and make a joke about it. I spend a lot of time laughing and dancing like no one is watching. People always ask me how I am so joyful and positive and I often tell them I was born this way! (hey!)
Just because I am a very positive person doesn’t mean that I don’t get hurt, or frustrated or mad, or sad. Like every other person alive I have gone through stressful situations, heartbreaking situations and situations that have left me swearing and completely beside myself. That being said, in the not so great times of my life I have always managed to pick myself back up and gain my positivity back.
If you are going through a hard time right now or you just feel like you could use a little more positivity, you’ve come to the right place. Read through my list of things to help you feel more positive and get ready to love life, with Cass.
Side note - if you feel like your mental health isn’t at it’s prime, maybe you are feeling completely hopeless, or you are constantly worried about the future, please consider going to therapy. All of these activities listed in this blog are great and will boost your mood, but sometimes we need more help than that, and that’s ok. I went to therapy for two years and it was the best experience I have ever had. In therapy, I was able to get to the root of my issues and actually deal with them. If you are struggling please consider finding a therapist and getting professional help. If you are having suicidal thoughts please call the suicide hot-line. Canada - 833-456-4566. USA - 1-800-273-8255.
Things to help you stay positive:
1. Fuel Your Hope
I love hope! When you are going through a hard time and need some positivity in your life do whatever you can to fuel your hope. Maybe that is talking to a loved one, reading inspiring stories, watching an inspiring documentary, or just staring up at the stars on a clear night. Believing that your situation can get better is half the battle. Having hope is powerful, and can help you feel more positive.
2. Take A Bath
When I get into a stressful funk or just feel a little down I like to take a “healing” bath. There really isn’t anything spiritual to my healing baths, I just know that they are going to make me feel better and help to boost my mood. If you are feeling down, draw yourself a nice relaxing bath with oils, flowers, salts and bubbles. Pro tip: a nice glass of wine or tea pairs well with a bath.
3. Good Music
Good music is a great cure for the blues. I recommend singing and dancing to your favourite tunes, but just listening to good music can boost your mental state and make you feel more positive.
4. Consume Positive Things
If you aren’t feeling super positive, take time to audit what you have been consuming. Are you listening to too much negative news? Have you been listening to one too many true crime documentaries? Are you constantly stalking your ex? If you notice that you have been consuming too much media that makes you feel sad, stop! Replace it with TV-shows, books, podcasts, etc, that make you feel positive. If you need more positive media be sure to check out my weekly IGTV series, Monday’s Pep Talk! These 2 – 5-minute pep talks are guaranteed to make your feel more positive.
5. Video Chat Your Positive Love One
We all have people in our lives who are more positive. When you are feeling down, video chat the positive people in your life and let their natural positive vibes pick you up.
6. Work out
Elle Woods from Legally Blonde said it best, “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people don’t shoot their husbands. They just don’t.” If you need something to boost your mood, exercise! Go for a run or a walk, lift some weights, dance, do a home work out, or whatever else you want to do. Just get your body moving!
7. Do Something That Makes You Feel Alive
What makes you feel alive? I feel like we as a society don’t ask each other that question enough. When you need more positivity in your life, do something that makes you feel alive. It can be as simple as dancing in the rain (yes, that makes me feel alive), or something bigger like booking a trip to Bali (yes, this also makes me feel alive.)
8. Hang Out With Positive People
You are who you hang out with. If you are feeling down all the time, take a moment to see if your crew is more of a negative crowd. If so consider hanging out with some more positive people.
9. Sleep More
If you are feeling more down then usual, never underestimate the power of more sleep. Allow yourself to rest and it could help you to feel more positive very soon.
10. Meditation
Meditation is amazing. If you don’t already meditate, I recommend that you start. A great app for beginners is the Calm App – it actually has a guide that tells you how to meditate. Meditation is just a time where you actively quieting your mind. It is very simple, but the benefits are amazing. Not only does it help you be more focused, it can also help boost your mood.
11. Practise Yoga
Yoga is a therapy for the body. I have been practicing yoga for 10 years and I always hit the mat when I feel like a need to let go of the world and get a boost of energy.
12. Eat Healthy Food And Drink Water
Just like the media we consume, the food and drinks that we consume have a big effect on our mood. If you feel like you are down all the time, try to add more whole foods, fruits, veggies and water to your diet.
13. Actively Work On Changing Your Negative Thoughts
If you really want to feel more positive, you are going to have to put in some effort and change the way you think. This might be hard at first, but once you keep doing it, it will get easier. Every time you think something negative, replace it with three positive things. If you think “ugh I hate my life right now.” Catch yourself and follow it up with, “things in my life are hard but I am grateful for my house.” “I love my dog.” “I ate an amazing grilled cheese today, my life isn’t so bad.”
14. Watch A Comedy
When in doubt, throw on something funny. Sometimes life gets us down to the point that all we can do is watch TV. That’s ok! But if you are feeling like this, think about watching a comedy! My go-to comedy shows are The Office, Parks and Rec, Schitt’s Creek and Family Guy. My go-to movies are Pineapple Express, Wedding Crashers, How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days and Love Actually.
15. List The Things You Are Grateful For
If you need something to give you a quick mood boost, start naming off things that you are grateful for! It really works! I recommend starting every morning journaling three things that you are great for.
16. List The Ways You’re Succesful
Another great way to boost your mood and to feel more positive is to list all the ways that you are successful. I recommend doing this every night before bed.
17. Read Stories Of People Doing The Things That You’re Dreaming Of Doing
A great way to inspire yourself and get the positivity flowing into your life, is to read success stories of people who are already doing the things that you want to be doing. If you want to be an actor, do some research and see how different actors went from where you are to where you want to be. This will for sure give you some hope, which can make you feel more positive.
18. Do Things You Are Passionate About
Add more positivity into your life by doing things that you are passionate about. If you are filling your days with projects that you couldn’t care less about then no wonder you are feeling down. Start adding more passion into your life and you are going to feel more positive. If you don’t know what you are passionate about, click here to read my blog, HOW TO ANSWER THE BIG QUESTION: WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH MY LIFE?
19. Stick To The Facts Not To Gossip
Whenever you are in a situation that is making you feel stressed or overwhelmed, make sure that you are only listening to facts and not gossip, theories or other people’s projections. In times like the COVID-19 pandemic it is easy to feel overwhelmed, but one way that you can make it a little easier on yourself is to do your research, check sources and make sure that anything you are consuming is the truth. A lot of times people just read headlines, do not be one of those people if you are trying to add more positivity in your life. Get the facts.
20. Be Present
Often times when we feel overwhelmed and stressed we are focused on either events of the past or the things that haven’t happened yet in the future. If you need a little more positivity, focus on being present. Let go of the past, and let the future come when it does. Right now, breathe in oxygen into your lungs and be fully alive in the moment you are in.
21. Be One With Nature
Whenever I need a boost of positivity, I head outside! Spending time in nature, away from my phone, computer and all other media does wonders on my spirit. Going for a hike in the forest and getting to smell the earth and the trees makes me feel so happy. Swimming in a lake, river or ocean restores the positivity in me.
Whenever you feel overwhelmed or down use these 21 activities to help add more positive into your life. Remember that it is ok to have moments of sadness and stress but what is important is that we don’t stay there. We must pick ourselves up and let the sun back in.
Wishing you a lifetime of positivity,
