5 Ways to Change Your Life From Negative to Positive

When I was younger, I had a very different upbringing.  I was taught that "family first" was the priority, but that meant only our immediate family.  I was forced to abandon any relationship I had with anyone else in the family, if I even had one to begin with.  This meant that I could only learn from the behaviors of my parents, my siblings and what I saw on TV.

As I grew up, I began to recognize that there is more than one perspective that you can have, which helped me grow out of my negative and victim mindset.

I managed to get out of the negative lifestyle that I was raised in and create a life that is positive and I want to share with you 5 ways to do the same and improve your life with simple positive behaviors.

1. Have a Morning Routine

What is your morning routine? Do you have one?

A very well-known morning routine is that of Tony Robbins. Tony Robbins has a smoothie every morning to make sure he gets the right amount of vitamins and minerals and has a quick breakfast. He then does 10 minutes of meditation, followed by a 15-minute workout. He ends his morning routine by going into the sauna and immersed himself in cold water to help wake him up and improve circulation. For a detailed layout of his routine, click here.

Here are some ideas for your morning routine:

-Set your clothes out the day before, especially if your intention is to workout first thing.

-Set these clothes next to your alarm, which is on the other side of the room. If your alarm is right next to you, you will most likely hit snooze and go back to sleep. If it is across the room, you have to get up to take care of it and you've already begun your day!

-Drink a glass of water to kickstart your metabolism.

-Have a notepad, or journal next to your clothes, alarm and glass of water and write down 3 things you want to accomplish for the day.

-Make your bed. It is understandable to pass this step if someone sleeps in the bed, too. In the book, Make your bed, Retired U.S. Navy Admiral William H. McRaven discusses the importance of starting your day by making your bed.  He says that once you've made your bed, you have already accomplished the first task of the day. No matter what happens the rest of the day, you will have accomplished something, but it will also help you continue accomplishing things throughout the day. 

-Avoid using your phone for the first 20-30 minutes of you waking up. Your mind is ready to focus on the day ahead and if you start by jumping on social media or games, your productivity will decrease.

This leads me to my next point:

2. Maintain a Positive Mindset

Your mindset will determine how your day will go. If you dread the day because it's Monday, your mood and productivity goes down because the only thing on your mind will be getting home and away from doing work.

To make your life change from negative to positive, you have to flip the switch on how you approach the day. Consider this: when someone asks how your day is going, don't respond with the usual, "not bad", "could be better" or "ok". In this moment, your mindset is still negative or in denial. Answer with "great", "amazing", "wonderful", "outstanding" or something more upbeat and positive. You will immediately feel the answer you give. Your mind is a powerful tool, use it! Have the mindset that you will get something done, even if it is Monday.

3. Surround Yourself with Positive People 

Growing up, this was one of the hardest concepts for me to maintain. I never really had any friends growing up and I was rarely allowed out of the house. There was always something preventing me from that, usually a negative or paranoid mindset from those who surrounded me. So, the only people I could surround myself with was my immediate family, who all had that negative spirit and mindset. 

You've heard the saying "you are what you eat," right? Well, you are who you surround yourself with. If you surround yourself with people who have a negative outlook on life or work, then you will begin to pick up on that mentality. But, when you surround yourself with people who are upbeat about their life, you will pick up on that, as well. Look for groups at work, involve yourself with the positive and productive ones and learn how they do what they do and practice that as well.  Surround yourself with greatness.

4. Throw Away the Pity Card

Misery loves company. People do not like to be on the receiving end of all your woes. Yes, venting out frustrations can be helpful, but you need to show some restraint and not vent to everyone in the office or everyone you know. Have one person you can confide to disclose these issues with, such as a trusted friend or spouse, and don't let everyone in the world know. In fact, if other people are following rule #3, then they may not want you to be in their surroundings.

For example, don't say things such as "I just can't ever do anything right," or "It's because I'm such a terrible person." Stop trying to make other people feel guilty about the position that you are in. Someone is always in a tougher position in life then you think you are in. You will never be able to live a positive lifestyle, unless you throw away the pity card.

Using the pity card is a symptom of victim mentality.

5. Be Better Today Than You Were Yesterday 

At the end of the day, this is the end goal. This is how you can tell if you lived life in a positive way, mediocre day or negative way. Invest in yourself and your future. 

A great way to hold yourself accountable is to journal at the end of the day.  Ask yourself: did I make my day count? Did I accomplish the 3 priorities I set for myself at the beginning of the day? Am I self-reflecting and seeing how I can improve tomorrow? 

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Remember: Motivate yourself, Elevate your mind, and Inspire others.