How you think on the inside is how you are on the outside. If you are negative inside, don’t be fooled: people see you as negative. When you are positive inside, even when you are sad, you light up every room you enter. The point is, you have some control over your attitude, you have no control over the environment you live in.
You know it by now: life is not easy and there is always something to be sad about. However, the saddest person on earth may not be as depressed as you. If you don’t believe that, watch this video. In Nigeria there is a slum with more than 200,000 people who literally live on sewage water. There are children swimming in that sewer, and not only are they healthy, they are happy.
It’s insane and can turn your stomach, so be warned. The thing is, they live in abject poverty of the worst kind, yet they not only smile, they don’t even know to be sad. We were all such youthful youngsters once, until the cares of life took over and stole our joy. How can they in their impoverished youth be wiser than we are as mature adults?
Across the world, first world citizens are often sadder than those living in the worst poverty. But realizing how blessed you are to even be able to read or use the cutting-edge technology you have can help you have a better posture and wake up with a smile every day. Here are other tactics that can help you be happier every day, from the moment you wake up.
Have a healthy morning routine
Wake up, make your bed, spend some time with your family, talk about the past week and what lies ahead, and then start your day. If you don’t live with anyone, maybe put on some music or an inspirational speaker that you resonate with.
Whatever works, do that thing. To have a healthy morning routine that is known, and good for your emotional well-being.
Start the day with a hearty breakfast
Part of your morning routine should include a healthy breakfast, even if that breakfast is just a cup of coffee and whipped cream. Oatmeal is a good idea, and there is a way to prepare oatmeal with an egg that has a savory quality.
You will be full, energetic and more satisfied from the start, allowing you to start your day with a subconscious joy that permeates the entire day.
Change your mattress – especially if you are part of a couple
Sometimes you have a great attitude, but there is something that makes it difficult for you to maintain that attitude. Chronic pain can be pushed to the back of your mind, but when a stressful situation arises, that pain will immediately jump to the forefront of your thinking. If you can eliminate chronic pain, that helps.
If there are two of you and you have a bad mattress, you will both wake up with some kind of chronic pain that affects your mental well-being. A simple solution may be to simply buy a new mattress. Here it is a good mattress for couplesif you’re not sure where to start looking.
Exercise on a daily basis
Exercise releases endorphins into your bloodstream, and these generally lead to happier thinking. In addition, good exercise positions your metabolism for healthier functioning and makes you more physically attractive, which has a positive psychological effect on how you perceive yourself in general, leading to greater personal joy. It’s a cumulative win-win situation.
Think in a healthy way
What you think about affects your mental well-beingwe’ve discussed this before. Think of beautiful things, and you will be seen so. Place your mind in the dark corners of reality, and you will follow that thinking into depressing activities. What is good and pure and beautiful and worthwhile, this is the flavor of meditation you want to pursue.
Be naturally cheerful
Thinking in a healthy way, exercising regularly, changing your mattress, eating some solid food at the start of the day and building a good morning routine are five very valuable ways you can help yourself start every day with a smile. It may take a few weeks to properly integrate such habits, but you’ll be glad you did.
Sarah Kaminski is a bon vivant, seeker of positivity and a lover of curiosity. She is passionate about an eco-friendly lifestyle and loves her cats. She is an avid reader who enjoys traveling when time permits.
Image courtesy of Miriam Alonso.
