You’ve probably heard the phrase, “You didn’t come this far just to come this far,” and we couldn’t agree more. Every person has gone through a lot of negative situations during their lifetime, and yet all of us reading this are still here. Even the worst situations of your life can have positive outcomes. Think about it. Maybe you have been laid off, but then landed yourself your dream job. And if all else fails, you can still notice that each bad experience you’ve already been through had to end at some point. So will this. You will get through this and you will be stronger for it.

It is oh so hard to feel grateful when life is overwhelming, frustrating, and dark but remembering “the good” can put problems into perspective. Go ahead and list the positive things in your life which will help to release positive chemicals in your brain. You'll begin to feel your anxiety and depression lessen and may even experience improved sleep! But the key word here is practice! Being positive and grateful doesn’t come naturally to some of us. Practicing being thankful is the same as practicing anything else. The more you do it, the more natural you become at it.

Perspective is key so try redirecting your focus from the negative to the positive. We know it’s easier said than done! Being able to reframe the conversation with yourself and others is an important skill for everyone to practice. Get into the habit of acknowledging negative thoughts and then asking, “what else is possible here?” This will help you cultivate a positive mindset more quickly. Just remember that positivity is a choice and it takes practice to reframe negativity into a positive interpretation of events. You know, looking at the glass half full line of thinking!  

When you are going through a rough patch, it’s important to listen to your body; it’ll tell you what it’s craving! Are you hungry? Do you need to sleep? Do you need to exercise/get your body moving? When you’re anxious or stressed about anything you’re facing in life, it’s easy to stay up late, eating junk food, and that will eventually make you feel worse. Exercise regularly, eat well, and find activities that will help your mind and body relax. A healthy body will help your mind to stay positive.  

This seems like a no brainer, but if life is feeling hard - go do something you enjoy! Distractions, even temporary ones, can help you re-charge your battery and change your mood. Whether you like watching a funny movie, listening to your favorite jams, or exploring the great outdoors, whatever you choose should be something you love. Keep it simple so your attempt to enjoy yourself doesn’t turn into a stressful activity. 

Most of the time, when life is hard we forget how much power we really have! If you don’t love something in your life, make changes to things that are within your control! You may be stuck in situations that you don’t love, but there are tons of things that nobody can take away from you {your attitude and hope, for example}. It’s possible to take actions to make things better for yourself

When we’re going through a hard time, the impulse is to isolate ourselves, but we’ve gotta fight that! Instead, we should be trying to connect with our loved ones - especially the ones that just naturally seem to make the sun shine. Talking with a friend might be all you need. So ask for help or offer your help to others -- any of these ideas might be the first step to greater positivity. 

One of the best ways to lift your spirits is to accomplish something, to make yourself feel good. You could organize your closet, deep clean your place, start gardening/planting new friends for your house, or even make homemade bread {there’s a reason we saw a lot of sour dough during quarantine}. Whatever it is, intentionally make something you can control even better. The smaller the something, the better! Even making your bed in the morning goes a long way to help you feel positive and have a brighter perspective towards your day.

Maybe you’re spending all your time inside, which makes it easy to spend the entire day bingeing something. Bingeing could look like a lot of things, like a new TV series, tuning into the news, or spending all your time on social media. This isn’t good for your mental health and won’t help you feel better in the long run. Instead, limit the amount of time you spend on one outlet. After one episode or half an hour on instagram, try doing more productive things, such as a hobby, cleaning your house, or reading a book. It’s easier to stay positive when you’re feeling useful and when you’re doing a lot of different things.

No matter where you live, there are always small businesses you can support! Help the brands and places you love stay in business by buying a gift card or ordering something through their delivery. Odds are they are dealing with crisis’ of their own, and lending a hand where you can will help both of you stay positive. Small businesses are most likely barely making a living even in good economy conditions, so any contribution from you will make a world of difference. Even if you cannot help financially, share their services or products with friends and family to help out instead!