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A positive thought a day can bring you a long way. Here’s how you can keep your mood up through the tough times.
Everyone goes through struggles in their daily lives. It can get overwhelming at times but with these few steps, you can help yourself make the best out of each day.
Good things happen when we start believing in ourselves. Start your day with positive statements for yourself; it can be as simple as “Today will be a good day” or “I’m going to be great today”. As silly as talking to yourself in the mirror sounds, it’ll amaze you with how much your mood improves for the rest of the day.
Smiling is the easiest thing you could do to make your day better. This simple act has been proven to improve mood, increase positive thoughts, lower heart rate during stressful moments, and reduce blood pressure. Here’s a fun fact to make you smile now—it takes fewer muscles to smile than to frown.
It can be easy to forget the good things when we’re going through bad times. During trying times, always remind yourself of things you’re grateful for (e.g.: from the simple things like having a roof over your head and food on the table to the bigger things like having healthy parents well into their golden years).
With the right circle of friends, you’ll receive constructive and loving feedback to become a better person. Negative people on the other hand will drag you further down the spiral and affect many aspects of your life. Carefully choose the people you surround yourself with and never worry about facing your problems alone.
No man is an island and that’s why we’re helping ourselves when we help others. By bringing positivity into someone else’s life, we help others feel better about themselves and remind ourselves of our values. Helping others also helps take our mind off the negativity and strengthens relationships.
Negative thoughts tend to creep into your mind when you’re not focused on anything. When we concentrate on completing a task, it takes our mind away from any distractions that may arise when we’re otherwise idle. No matter how complex a task may be, make sure to complete it in a pace you’re comfortable with.
A healthy body leads to a healthy mind. Exercising has been proven to release endorphins that promote positive feelings into our body. Your workout routine doesn’t necessarily have to be at a gym but it can be as simple as taking walks or yoga. The most important part of exercising is being consistent, so find a routine that would suit you best.
Bottling up emotions and internalising unhealthy thoughts can be harmful for your mental health. Find someone you trust, express your feelings, and take the weight off your shoulders. You'll be able to see the problem from a renewed perspective. When all else fails, call a mental health hotline, the most notable being Befrienders Malaysia.
Having a hobby allows you to put your mind to something you love while simultaneously taking a break. Your hobbies can be anything from stamp collecting to mountain climbing. They can nurture your skills with enough practice, and could even grow into an additional income.
In a world where you’re within reach of everybody and anybody, it can be tough to not compare yourself with others. Everyone makes mistakes every now and then but it’s important to move on and learn from these mistakes. Therefore, don’t be afraid of making mistakes as long as you learn from them and be yourself.
References
https://benefitsbridge.unitedconcordia.com/top-7-health-benefits-smiling/
https://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/7-ways-clear-mind-negative-thoughts/
https://tinybuddha.com/blog/10-tips-to-overcome-negative-thoughts-positive-thinking-made-easy/
https://www.classycareergirl.com/2017/10/negative-thoughts-keep-away-say-no/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-benefits-of-exercise#section1
https://www.developgoodhabits.com/benefits-hobby/
The above articles are intended for informational purposes only. AIA accepts no responsibility for loss, which may arise from reliance on information contained in the articles.
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