From the moment we wake in the morning our heads start to fill with all sorts of thoughts. What will you give the kids for breakfast? Will you get the time to iron your blouse before you leave for work? What will you do if you miss the bus? And so it goes on.
The first clue to turning your life around and making it happier is to stop using negative thought. You probably aren't even aware that you're doing it but when you say "I was hit by a car and now I've got a broken arm" and feel angry about it, you're using a negative attitude. If you'd said "I was hit by a car but luckily I escaped with just a broken arm" and feel relived about it, you're tackling life with a positive attitude.
The question should never be "why did it happen to me?" but "what can I do to improve things now that it's happened."
The tips below will help you understand what you could be doing wrong and help you turn around your negative attitude, helping you cope with life and enjoy a brighter future.
1. SEE LIFE AS THE ENEMY
The whole world's out to get you, isn't it? Or, if not, maybe just certain groups of people?
By being suspicious of others' motifs and believing that they have some hidden agenda that includes hurting you, you'll keep people at arm's length and never make new friends or improve the friendships you already have.
For the person who's wrapped up in a negative world, the result is that they have an excuse to not go out and meet people. Meeting people would mean they'd have to be friendly and that takes too much effort.
For a more positive outlook on life you need to understand that most people are far too busy running their own lives to bother hurting you. Being friends is far more pleasant than being enemies so why would they want to put so much energy into something they'd have nothing to gain from?
2. BE LAZY
Again, by avoiding the gym or any other form of exercise you won't need to meet people and be pleasant.
We have enough knowledge nowadays to know that exercise is important, not only to our physical well-being but also to our mental health.
Eat a few fatty snacks while you're veg-ing in front of the TV and you'll soon be feeling too tired and lethargic to move! Just don't start moaning when you start suffering from all kinds of health problems that are associated with lack of exercise, from osteoporosis to coronary artery disease. Yes, lack of exercise is nearly as dangerous as smoking!
Next time the sun's shining, put on some comfortable clothes and go for a walk. Exercise releases adrenaline and therefore reduces stress so you'll definitely feel better for it.
3. DON'T KEEP UP APPEARANCES
If you don't go out much, who's going to see you anyway? And even if you did, who'd care?
You should care, that's who!
When you don't bother to put on your make-up or do your hair properly, you're just telling the world that you're not as important as the rest of the people around you. Before you know it you won't even bother to wash, and you'll be walking around in wrinkled, un-ironed clothes. Hell, why even bother to get dressed at all? Just lay around in your night clothes watching TV all day, why don't you?
Even if you're just nipping to the shop make sure you look, if not your best, at least presentable. How others view you will eventually reflect in how you view yourself. When you have a positive attitude towards yourself, you're far more likely to see life in a positive manner, too.
4. TAKE THE LONESOME TRAIL
If you hide yourself away at home, you won't have to meet other people who are still able to be happy, even though they're undoubtedly suffering many of the same problems as you, plus as few of their own. Why would you want to accept that others could have problems and still be cheerful?
Get out there and spend time with friends. Experiencing other people dealing with their lives in a positive manner can do wonders to how you feel about your own life. If their cup's half full while yours is half-empty, ask yourself why. What are they doing that you're not?
5. GET OFF YOUR HEAD
Do you get yourself drunk or stoned in order to forget your woes? I bet you're having great fun while you're falling all over the place, spilling and breaking things as you go, aren't you? And by the time you wake up in the morning, all of your problems will have magically disappeared, won't they?
No? Why not?
Because no matter how much you drink, smoke or inject yourself with illegal substances, the only things you'll change are your ability to do your job; the way your family feels around you; your health as you deprive your body of important nutrients; and if you think you've got problems now, just wait until your bank balance starts to diminish even further!
Put the bottle, joint or pills away and accept that they aren't going to make your problems go away