Daily life is hectic. Often, we are satisfied just to have made it through the day. For many of us that is our main aim: to make sure we do what is expected of us and not make mistakes along the way.. We will all have others who we need to satisfy. The list will include the boss, spouse, parents, children, friends, and colleagues.
Surviving each day requires a lot of effort on our part. There is a danger that in keeping everyone else happy, we forget about the most important person – ourself. We can never achieve our own goals if we let ourselves suffer because all our attention is on other people.
The other people that we are trying to satisfy are all necessary for us if we are going to achieve our own goals. If you are striving for success in your career, then your boss is crucial to you. Whatever your goal, the support of family and friends is necessary. You must make sure that you are fully equipped physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually to meet the challenges ahead.
Here are eight habits that you can develop to help you in each of these areas.
Mental Improvement
1. Solve a puzzle or problem every day
Just as exercising your body is important, so you need to exercise your mind. A puzzle tackled early in the day will give your mind a kick-start. This is why many people try to complete a crossword puzzle during the morning commute.
Some websites publish puzzles of all types. A puzzle will take up only a little time, but the benefits of beginning the day with a sharp mind are many.
2. Learn a new skill
You will likely be keen to learn a new skill. It could be creative, like cookery, sewing, knitting, or painting. Perhaps it’s an intellectual skill like computer programming or learning a new language. Either way, try to spend a little time each day adding to your knowledge of the skill, and you will soon begin to feel more fulfilled.
Most skills can be learned gradually. Do some readings, follow a course online, or listen to language tapes. In this way, you will continue your self-improvement.
Physical Improvement
3. Do a few resistances exercises
Make your muscles work a bit harder by trying some resistance exercises. Simple ones include climbing your stairs (repeat a few times) or doing some push-ups (against a wall is good). Your muscles will feel firmer, and you will feel better in yourself.
4. Leave unhealthy foods out of your diet
Are you eating unhealthy foods because they taste better? Healthy food often seems to be less flavorful. Think about what you are eating, and you will realize that there are plenty of healthy foods that you love. Fruit and vegetables taste delicious, and you will have some favorites. Think of apples, oranges, bananas, or carrot sticks. These are healthy and not expensive.
The more fruit and vegetables you can include in your diet, the fitter and healthier you will feel. When you feel good, problems seem less daunting, and decisions more comfortable to make. You will feel more confident.
Emotional Improvement
5. Share positivity
One way to make you feel good about yourself is to praise another person when they have done something great. Sharing positivity in this way creates a great atmosphere in the workplace or at home. When others feel appreciated, they will perform better.
The praise does not have to be for a major accomplishment. Small things deserve recognition too. At work, you might praise someone for a task completed quickly. At home, you could express thanks for a lovely meal. When praising people becomes a habit, you and everyone around you will benefit.
6. Smile in the face of negative thoughts
Don’t allow negative thoughts to take over your thinking for the whole day. We all have negative thoughts, and they can dominate your mood for the entire day. Being negative makes it harder to make responsible decisions. They will prevent you from interacting positively with those around you and lead to anger and disputes.
Smile when a negative thought hits you. Smiling is a real antidote to negativity. Learn to smile, and you will soon become a pleasant and productive person again.
Spiritual improvement
7. Resolve to do one good thing each day
It is easy to forget how doing good can make you feel better and more positive. If you decide to do a good deed each day and allow this to become a habit, you will soon become a more positive person.
Good deeds are many and various. Running an errand, sorting the recycling, helping a neighbor, or visiting a sick relative all will make you feel helpful.
8. Express thankfulness at the end of the day
We should all aim to be thankful for what we have, rather than yearn for more. Having goals in life is different from being dissatisfied with your lot in life and wanting more.
Each day try to make a note of what you are thankful for from that day. You will soon create a list of positive thoughts. You might have found some joy in a garden, or were impressed with kindness shown to you. Write these positives down, and keep them near at hand. When you are unhappy or feeling dispirited, read through your list. A list of this sort has been proved to be a fantastic aid to feeling positive, happy, fulfilled, and empowered.
Finally
Don’t forget that you need to develop spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually if you are going to be a positive person. Developing the habits suggested here will help you achieve positivity. These new habits will lead to your being happier and more fulfilled. These feelings in turn will help you feel motivated and lead to greater success.